In the context of a PIL, the Director of Estates J&K Government informed the High Court that 46 politicians and bureaucrats are illegally occupying the Government accommodation including Bungalows across the State. Obviously, these people are highly influential. They have managed to occupy Estate’s accommodation even after retirement or other pretexts. Among the occupants are Ex-Cabinet Ministers, Ex- MLAs, Ex-MLCs and other high officials. Their plea is that they are threatened people and as such, they need secure residences with guard etc. What makes them threatened is not clear. A Government official is a simple civilian and a state subject after he or she relinquishes the office. He is a commoner with millions others of his like. There is nothing extraordinary about him and only those retired officers can be the targets of militancy who have been closely in touch with militancy affairs and whose liquidation is on the cards.
The reality is that our State is run by the unending practice of nepotism and favouritism. Allotment of Estates accommodation is always only until the incumbent is in service. Thereafter he has no right to claim for any kind of accommodation. How come that rules are bend and re-cast only to favour the people who are enjoying political influence and social connections. This practice must end in our State. The people voted against dynastic rule in the State. Now they will vote against dynastic bureaucracy. We are also told that some of the illegal occupants have not paid electric and water fee for years at end and lakhs of rupees are outstanding against their names in the books of PDD or Water Woks. We wonder how the PDD could allow them to accumulate the amount of dues for fees. Why was not their power supply cut forthwith with the first notification from the PDD or the Water Works Department? The case is before the court of law and we cannot make any comment to influence the judgement of the court. All that we will say is that a welfare state is not for rich and influential people only. It is essentially for the ordinary people who earn their two square b read with the sweat of their brow. Illegal occupation of Government accommodating has to be vacated at any cost.
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