Way back in pre-1990 period, a big chunk of land measuring about 458 kanals was earmarked for a housing colony in the periphery of Anantnag town. A housing colony would have come up there and with this purpose the outline of the plan had been laid. Roads and parks were identified and the work was in process. Then suddenly happened the rise of militancy in the State, and as it spread out, the army was deployed to contain the uprising. In due course of time, the Army needed land for establishing its camps and quarters of defence establishments. It approached the State government and the land earmarked for the housing colony was handed over to the army. Ever since, the land remains in the control of the army.
In the meanwhile, the university campus in Anantnag was established close to the land given to the army. The campus has grown and the population of students in the campus has considerably increased so much so the available space is not sufficient to run the institution in a healthy manner. It was felt that the land occupied by the Army, if vacated, would become extension of the present campus and that would meet the requirements of the students enrolled in post-graduate classes. The State Government had made several requests to the Army to vacate but for many technical and logistic reasons, the Army was not in a position to accede to the request of the State Government. Late Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed also visited the campus and found that it was a requirement that needed to be fulfilled as early as possible.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has visited the university campus twice. She is convinced that the land under Army’s occupation should be given to the campus. For this purpose she took up the matter with the Prime Minister personally in New Delhi. The good news is that the Prime Minister has agreed that the Army should vacate the land and allow it to be utilized as extension for the university campus. The process has set for the Army to vacate it and let the land become part of the university campus.
The point is that the Army is not adamant on not vacating a particular area if there is logic and circumstantial confirmation that the land is required for an important institution with a significant agenda. A wrong impression has been generated among some sections of people that the Army will never vacate the premises or the land it has once occupied. We do not understand how this baseless thinking has been floated. Of course, there are elements in the civil society that are used to floating false and baseless rumours about the treatment of the Army to ordinary people and how they conduct themselves when some business is to be contracted between the army and the civilian Government.
We have to begin with the basics that the Army in our country has the greatest virtue of functioning as the implementer of a decision which is collectively taken by the Cabinet or the Parliament/ state assembly. The Prime Minister has the vision of future of India. To him building the youth of the State as sensible and responsible citizens is of far greater importance than the location of a particular Army group at a particular location in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. After all, the day will dawn when insurgency and anarchism in the state has to come to an end and normalcy will be restored. We are inching towards that environment by slow speed. Therefore, it is of vital importance to provide all possible facilities, opportunities and avenues to the student community to pursue their higher education and become the worthy sons of the soil. We are confident that the army commanders also look at the subject from same angle. We highly appreciate the quick and the right decision taken by the PM in regard to Army vacating the land in Anantnag town. It has to be noted that the army has never been rigid in holding fast to the sites where it has established camps and military posts. The Army vacated Bemina region and Tos Maidan establishments in deference to the wishes of the State Government. We congratulate the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister for taking an important decision whose consequences are favourable to the student community. The university campus will become prestigious with the extension of over 450 kanals of land and the educational institution will come up befittingly. The process should be brought to completion within the shortest possible time.
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