Prof SK BHALLA
Kudos to the Apex Court of India for dismissal of plea against the eviction drive launched on encroached land by LG’s administration in J&K UT. Today’s historic order has shut all doors of relief to land grabbers of all hues who were devising ways and means to delay retrieval of several lakh kanals of prime state land which has been declared in illegal possesion after the path breaking judgement of Jammu and Kashmir High Court in Roshni land scam.
In harsh words, the SC has outrightly rebuked the plaintiffs to not justify their illegal stance under grab of poor tribals. This is a much needed clarion call for everyone who are trying their level best to create chaos by bracketing anti encroachment drive of government on the lines of have and have nots. This is an apt order of SC as law never distinguishes between a big and small encroachers.
This is also a slap on the face of street protestors like Sunil Dimple and many alike him who for simply local media glare are more often sighted criticising the good intentions of the present dispensation initiated for the larger interest of people and country. The government must come down heavily on such chaos creators in society to show them the place they deserve.
It is a matter of huge relief that belatedly one former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta, as per one local english daily State Times has been dubbed as an encroacher on the front page from whose possession more than 23 kanals of encroached state land at Bhalwal area in Jammu district has been retrieved. Hope, more names of VVIP land grabbers would hog the limelight in the coming days.
It would be better, if such details about eviction drive on daily basis should percolate in the public domain through the Department of Information. This is a very historical exercise undertaken by the LG administration which has all the might to take on all law violators without any compulsion. It is imperative for the administration to put in public domain the official data of land retrieval alongwith the name of the encroachers to send a strong message that they mean business in the larger national interest. Anyway, today is the last day for retrieval of 100 percent state land from the clutches of land grabbers. How much has been retrieved is still an enigma and only the top Boss of Revenue Department knows the truth.
(The author of the article is a retired Principal of HED and a renowned anti corruption crusader. The views expressed are personal and he can be reached at 7051218339)