Jammu May 19 : A high-level team of congress party led by Working President and Former Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla alongwith Chief Spokesperson Adv. Ravinder Sharma(Ex-MLC), Haji Mumtaz Khan Choudhary (Ex-MLA) and Block President Bahu Latish Sharma visited the site of demolishion of pacca houses last night at Bandi Bahu Fort area Jammu today on the direction of PCC Chief Shri Tariq Hameed Karra to assess the situation on the ground.
The team found that over 40 families were uprooted in a post mid night bulldozer operation by the administration demolishing the pacca houses and other permanent shelters of people residing there for over three to four decades.
The victims including children, women and aged people narrated their woes with tears in their eyes and complained that they were not given any prior information, notice or warning. All of sudden, post midnight some officers of forest department, revenue and police with heavy contingent came down with bulldozers/JCB & started demolishing their houses without allowing team to take out their emergency medicines, drinking water and other essential items, utensils or clothing etc. They were pushed aside forcibly by the police and everything was destroyed.
Speaking to reporters on spot, congress team led by Shri Raman Bhalla condemned the action of administration and police and termed it as barbaric and inhuman and no law permits such inhuman action during midnight without prior notice. They expressed sympathies with the victims and asked Forest Minister visiting there Shri Javed Rana to hold an inquiry and make public the reasons behind and other details to know the facts. They also sought provision of temporary shelter to the uprooted families till preliminary enquiry and if found wrong the necessary damages to them.
The congress team reported the details to the PCC President and it was also decided to seek time with Lt. Governor to seek details of arbitrary action and necessary measures in this regard, Chief Spokesperson disclosed to media. He said fact finding team shall gather all information and full facts and seek the response of elected government and LG administration in this regard.