Do Not Crush People's Rights Under Bulldozer: Priyanka Gandhi Slams Centre Over J-K Eviction Drive

Priyanka Gandhi slammed the govt over the anti-encroachment drive in J&K, saying that for peace and trust it is necessary to listen to the people and not 'crush their rights under the bulldozer'.

File Photo of Congress Leader Priyanka Gandhi.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday slammed the central government over the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that for peace and trust it is necessary to listen to the common people and not "crush their rights under the bulldozer", as reported by the news agency PTI.

Various political parties such as the Congress, the National Conference, and the PDP have expressed their concerns against the drive and demanded an immediate end to it. The authorities have so far retrieved more than 10 lakh kanals (one kanal =605 sq yards) of land across Jammu and Kashmir after the Commissioner Secretary, Revenue department, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri directed allpercentcommissioners to ensure 100 per cent removal of encroachments from the state land on January 7, as reported by the news agency PTI.

In a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi levelled allegations that atrocities are being committed on the people demanding restoration of their constitutional rights in Ladakh.

लद्दाख में अपने संवैधानिक हकों की बहाली की मांग कर रहे लोगों पर अत्याचार किया जा रहा है

कश्मीर में आम जनों की सुनवाई किए बिना उनके घरों पर बुलडोजर चलाया जा रहा है

देश लोगों से बनता है। शांति व भरोसे के लिए आम लोगों की बात सुनना जरूरी है, न कि उनके अधिकारों को बुलडोजर तले कुचलना pic.twitter.com/jsVqDj6Gv9

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) February 13, 2023

"In Kashmir, without paying heed to what the common people are saying, their houses are being bulldozed," the Congress general secretary claimed. "A country is made of people. For peace and trust, it is necessary to listen to the common people and not crush their rights under the bulldozer," Gandhi said. She also tagged screenshots of various media reports on the eviction drive in Jammu and Kashmir.

Last week on Wednesday, People's Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti was detained in Delhi during a protest against the administration's anti-encroachment drive in the Union Territory. 

Carrying placards "Stop Bullying, Stop Bulldozing", PDP chief and party workers were detained and taken to a police vehicle, as reported by ANI. The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister had earlier requested all national opposition leaders to raise the issue of a demolition drive across Jammu and Kashmir against its people.