Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, May 3: A major public rally organised by the Sawalkote Joint Action Committee (SJAC) was stopped twice by cops today triggering a brief peaceful protest after which the SJAC leaders submitted the memorandum of demands to the concerned authorities.
Hundreds of locals, daily wagers, youth groups and civil society members from across Ramban district participated in the rally which began from Dak Bungalow Ramban with participants raising slogans like ‘Ramban Ka Nara Hai, Sawalkote Hamara Hai’ etc.
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However, the rally was stopped at the main gate by cops but after discussions, the procession was allowed to move ahead and it was again stopped after a short distance.
Police cited the lack of formal permission for the gathering while the organisers claimed that prior intimation was given and no written denial was communicated.
After stopping the rally for the second time, the SJAC team was allowed to submit a formal memorandum of demands to the administration through concerned officials. The memorandum was addressed to the Chief Minister, Lieutenant Governor, Chief Secretary of J&K and the Deputy Commissioner, Ramban.
Addressing the protesters, SJAC president, Fairoz Khan said that people of Ramban are not against the development but they cannot accept uncertainty, injustice or exclusion from decisions that determines the fate of their land, livelihood and children’s future.
He flagged the reports of a proposed road diversion via Udhampur instead of Ramban, warning that such a move would marginalise the district from its own developmental project.
Other SJAC leaders who addressed the gathering were Muzaffar Lone, Mohd Akhtar, Saddam Bali, Mudassar Azmat Mir, Manzoor Ahmed, Mohd Irshad Rather, Wakeel Singh, Sheetal Singh Bali, Surjeet Singh, Zakir, Iftiyaiz Shoil, Imtiyaz Ahmed, Mohd Rabir, Happy Singh, Ab Rahim Bali and Mohd Asif Tak.
The memorandum submitted by SJAC contains demands like immediate official clarification on the proposed road diversion, declaration of the tender schedule and a fixed, time-bound project timeline, fair compensation strictly in accordance with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, return or reassessment of acquired land that remains unused for extended periods, a comprehensive rehabilitation and resettlement policy for affected families, wage security for families dependent on land and local employment, preference in project-related employment for local residents and protection of environmental and social interests through mandatory impact assessments
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