Srinagart January 20 (KNS):  J&K People’s Conference Parliamentary Committee Chairman and former legislator Nizam-Ud-din Bhat has urged the administration to put land evictions on hold till formulation of a concrete policy which rationalises land evictions and adopts a mechanism that differentiates between the needy and the greedy.

According to a statement issued to KNS, Bhat said that Jammu and Kashmir is a welfare state which has a rich history of putting the interests and needs of the common people and poor masses at the core of its governance. However in wake of the order to evict people in rural and urban settings there is palpable fear and panic among the common masses that this exercise will result in making thousands of people homeless and landless.

“This policy was drafted and executed in hurry which invited criticism and suggestions from different sections of the society. Instead of a blanket order, it was imperative for the government to assess and differentiate between those who have violated and grabbed land to further their interests and those who are in need. Rendering poor people homeless is a gross human rights violation”, he added.

Bhat further said that it is appreciable on part of the administration to give due consideration to our suggestions and decide against evicting poor and needy from rural and urban settings.

“When this order was issued, the President of our party said that retrieving state land from poor and common masses can be dangerous and urged the administration to rethink their policy on going after those who have possessed land as a manifestation of economic and social inequality. If the government has now decided to differentiate between those who are needy and those who grabbed land due to greed”, he added.

Bhat further stated that the People’s Conference desires formulation of a policy which must regularise land holdings of those in need and evict the influential and affluent who have grabbed state land over the years.(KNS)