The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes on Friday after BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa accused people from the Kashmir Valley of encroaching on government and Jammu Development Authority (JDA) land in Jammu city.
Responding to a question raised by Randhawa during Question Hour, Social Welfare Minister Sakeena Itoo informed the House that 688 kanals and 17 marlas of land in Tehsil Bahu and 579 kanals in tehsils under Jammu South are under illegal encroachment, according to available land records.
On behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Itoo stated, “These encroachments are old and are being removed as per the provisions of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act and other relevant laws.” She added that more than 34 anti-encroachment drives were conducted in Tehsils Bahu and Jammu South in 2025, resulting in the retrieval of 140 kanals and 11 marlas of JDA land.
Randhawa claimed that settlements primarily inhabited by people from the Kashmir Valley have come up on encroached land belonging to the JDA and the government. He accused the authorities of failing to act decisively. He alleged that 90 per cent of these settlements belong to people hailing from the Kashmir Valley and demanded a probe and immediate removal of encroachments from his constituency.
“There are over 16,000 kanals of JDA land under encroachment in Jammu. We have no problem if Kashmiris purchase land and construct houses in Jammu, but they should not construct on government land,” he claimed. His remarks drew sharp criticism from ruling National Conference members, who rejected the allegations as territorially divisive and accused him of stoking regional tensions.
Minister Itoo strongly objected, stating that encroachment issues should not be viewed through a regional lens and that people should not be divided on such grounds.
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