Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), a premier body of elected Panchayat members, has opposed the Government’s proposed anti-encroachment drive that according to AJKPC, is all set to displace hundreds of innocent people from their homes and shops across the UT.
“Our organisation opposes this drive as it will rob people of the land and properties,” Anil Sharma, the President of the Panchayat body, said in a statement.
After meeting the PRI members of Kashmir Division here today, Sharma said he had been apprised by the Panches and Sarpanches that the revenue officers have been putting pressure on the elected Panchayat members to assist them (revenue officers) in evacuating the people from their lands and properties.
In some cases, he said, the revenue officials have even threatened the Panchayat representatives of dire consequences in case they don’t join the anti-encroachment drive.
“But let me be very clear and categorical that none of our Panchayat representatives will join the administration in dispossessing the innocent people of their lands and properties,” Sharma said.
Other AJKPC functionaries who met Sharma here also resolved that all the 40,000 plus PRIs are united to oppose the “government’s proposed move of ruining people’s lives by damaging their homes and sources of livelihood”.
They said that the AJKPC shall fight for the rights of the people on roads and if need be, they will move to court(s) to seek justice for the people.
The prominent AJKPC members who attended the meeting include BDC Chairperson Bandipora, Shabeer Ahmed Khan, Shahnawaz, Riyaz Khan, Mohammad Younis, Ashaq Hussain Parey, Hilal Ahmed Khan, Jawad Salim Mir, Minnu Mohammad Bhat, Nazeer Ahmed Mir, and Syed Mohammad Syed.