Muslim Federation condemns eviction in ‘selective’ Jammu areas

Muslim Federation Jammu has strongly opposed the eviction of people in ‘selective’ areas under the garb of anti-encroachment drive.

The Executive Committee of the Federation that met here today under the chairmanship of its president, Abdul Majid, sought intervention of Chief Minister in revocation of the ‘discriminatory’ Govt order No. 496 of 2015 dated 01-04-2015 related to the colonies ‘linked particularly with the Muslim community’.

The participants asserted that these colonies have come up during the preceding three decades over the centuries-old land holdings of scheduled tribe Gujjar community whose sole profession was to supply fire wood, milk and dairy products to the residents of Jammu city.

“Present residents of these colonies have perforce built their homes here mostly because of turmoil since 1990 as Jammu has been a peaceful, congenial, economically and educationally fast growing place suited to the needs of those who moved from disturbed areas of the state,” the participants said.

They observed that the State government, in normal course ought to have a sound policy of proper settlement of the people from rural areas of Jammu province, coming to the winter capital in search of jobs and educational objectives.

“Ever swelling number of these job seekers has crossed the ten thousand mark annually and the government has failed to provide them basic amenities. As a result, the unauthorized and illegal colonies have been coming up and this process has to take a natural course. Sidhra, Sunjwan and Bathindi areas are no exception,” the meeting observed further.

The participants also pointed out that it is a well known fact that land in thousands of Kanals belonging to forest department in Sunjwan is under the regular occupation of Army, Air- Force and Armed Police, while in Rakh Bahu, the forest land is occupied by Fruit Mandi, Sabzi Mandi, Transport Yard, Qasim Nagar, Gorkha Nagar and Bahu Fort colony.

They further said that Jammu University and Army camp opposite to it besides Sidhra Golf Course are all on the land belonging to forest department.

The meeting was told that the Muslim Federation Jammu has decided to convene a meeting with the prominent persons of Jammu civil society, religious and Community Welfare Sabhas, Chamber of Commerce, Bar Association and other peace loving lot to apprise them of the actual and factual scenario of the problem ‘with a view to expose the element hell bent upon gaining political mileage at the cost of healthy and enviable atmosphere in Jammu’.

“This sinister design of evil forces will in no way be allowed by the Muslim community of Jammu to succeed,” the Federation members vowed and condemned ‘this ill conceived and discriminatory government order’ while calling for its immediate withdrawal.

The Muslim Federation appealed to the Chief Minister to personally look into such government orders ‘which may lead to harmful repercussions in the social setup of the State’.

The meeting was also attended by Federation vice president, Prof Muhammad Ayub; general secretary, Advocate H A Sidiqi, besides the executive committee members including Muhammad Salem Khan, Master Akram Ahmed, Ch Jamat Ali, Abdul Rasheed, Ch Naseem Ali, Parvez Ahmed Malik and others.