Srinagar, May 29 (KNS): Senior National Conference leader and former MLA Kangan Mian Altaf Ahmed has strongly condemned the government action against nomadic tribal community in Bandipora by allegedly torching their hutments and harassing them.

In a statement issued to KNS, Mian Altaf has strongly condemned the burning down of Gujar Kothas and hutments in Chapran village of Bandipora district in the guise of so called anti encroachment drive.

“The tribal community in Jammu and Kashmir was already in the grip of fear and insecurity due to the many such incidents in Jammu and the latest incident of torching their temporary structures in Chapran village has added to their worries and send shock waves in the entire nomadic community afresh,” he said.

Mian Altaf said that these nomadic families over decades during their annual migration to the hilly areas stay in several places near grasslands where they have grazed their cattle for centuries, adding that the fact which the authorities should verify first before blindly going for their selective targeting.

He said they have no other source of livelihood except grazing of cattle and authorities should think thrice before evicting them from their grazing land.
He said their eviction from the grazing land would give rise to a worst kind of law and order situation in the entire state.

Mian Altaf urged the Governor administration to probe into the incident and Governor Administration must issue instructions to stop this immediately. He also sought resettlement of the affected families. (KNS)