Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Sakina Itoo on Friday said demolishing properties in the name of fighting drugs should be stopped. She also said drug abuse is higher in Jammu, while most strict action is being taken in Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Itoo said she acknowledges Lt Governor Manoj Sinha’s efforts under the ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir’ campaign, but said demolition of houses creates problems for families and adds to difficulties for the government.
"The L-G is making significant efforts; we all have to work towards curbing drug abuse together and I appreciate such efforts. But, people should not be made targets under this pretext. If you arrest someone (with drugs), the home department needs to check how it reached him. When you target people, demolish properties, bring bulldozers, it causes problems to the people," she said. She added that even properties not owned by the accused but by their families are being attached or destroyed, which causes suffering.
"You arrest someone with drugs, and then go on to destroy the property which is not even in his name but rather in the name of his parents. It causes sufferings to the people, it destroys them," she said. The minister also alleged that action is not uniform. She said more drug cases are in Jammu, but stricter action is being taken in Kashmir.
“I want to ask whether there are more drug addicts in Jammu or in Kashmir? As health minister, I can tell you the figure is more in Jammu. But, the way you are destroying the houses of people in Kashmir, bulldozing them, or attaching their properties, it is not a right thing to do. It will make people more negative and that will cause difficulties for us. This should be stopped,” she said.
Itoo said the home department should focus on breaking drug supply chains instead of targeting individuals’ families. "We have to try and rehabilitate or counsel drug addicts so that they return to the mainstream, and your (L-G administration's) endeavor should be to stop drug trafficking. If someone is a drug addict, what is the fault of his father? So why bulldoze a property which is in his father's name?" she said.
Appealing to the L-G administration, Itoo said bulldozing homes sends the wrong message. “Why is it happening in Kashmir only, if the figures are greater in Jammu? It sends a wrong message that perhaps we are discriminating. Our aim should be clear that. We must stop drugs from coming here,” Itoo said.
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