Breaking his silence over the recent demolition drive carried out by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah hit out at the officials while sharply criticising the manner in which they conducted the operation. His reaction came a day after JDA teams demolished a residential house in Jammu, triggering strong political and social outrage across the region. Opposition PDP has directly blamed NC led government over the demolition drives conducted at various places.
The demolished structure belonged to the father of a local media professional working in Jammu. The incident has angered the local community, with several political, social, and civil society representatives visiting the site to express solidarity with the affected family. Leaders cutting across party lines condemned the manner in which the demolition was executed, alleging that the administration acted arbitrarily and without proper communication.
Omar Abdullah, reacting to the controversy, said that officers were carrying out demolition drives “without seeking consent from the elected government.” He questioned the accountability of the administration and said that such actions raise concerns about the extent of unchecked authority being exercised by officials in the Union Territory.
The Chief Minister added that while law and regulations must be upheld, any action that affects livelihoods or displaces families should be taken with utmost transparency and only after due consultation with elected representatives. He stressed that governance must not appear one-sided and said that decisions affecting people’s homes should not be taken in haste or without humanitarian consideration.
Political observers say the issue has gained widespread attention, not only because the house belonged to the family of a journalist, but also because it touches upon larger concerns regarding administrative overreach in Jammu and Kashmir.Meanwhile, the affected family has appealed for justice and demanded an impartial inquiry into the circumstances that led to the demolition.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has also criticised the demolition of a house of a journalist by the authorities in Jammu, saying the Union territory is suffering the “brutal consequences” of the National Conference (NC) government’s decision to dismiss the party’s “anti-bulldozer” bill in the assembly recently.
“These aren’t the homes of helpless families in UP or elsewhere where targeting minorities has become the norm. This is Jammu & Kashmir where Arfaz, a journalist who built a modest home 40 years ago on 3 marlas of land, saw it being crushed to rubble in seconds,” Mufti said in a post on X on Friday.
“The NC government dismissed the PDP’s anti-bulldozer bill by branding these residents as land grabbers. Today, the brutal consequences of that decision are for all to see,” she said.An anti-encroachment drive was carried out on Thursday by the Jammu Development Authority during which bulldozers demolished illegal structures in the Transport Nagar area of the city.
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