Sajad Lone condemns demolition drive in Kangan

Ganderbal, Nov 26: People’s Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone has criticised the demolition drive carried out by authorities in the Kangan area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday.

Lone in a post criticised the move and asked why it is that only poor homes or hotels get demolished, and questioned why the elites were left untouched.

“I came across some visuals of demolition in Kangan. I have absolutely no idea why they were demolishing a seemingly beautiful house. They were very disturbing visuals. The furniture is inside. The curtains are there. I can bet. There is something sinister. Normally, the furniture would be removed. I saw on social media that a person was distraught and clarified that it was his residential house. Assume it was a hotel. How big a crime it is to make a hotel without permission. Are all hotels in Kashmir legal? Was this the last illegal hotel?” Lone said.

He said, “I have some pent-up feelings to express.  He said if a majority of people are breaking the law, is there something wrong with the people or is there something wrong with the law, and why is every person in Kashmir a climate activist or a sustainability expert, especially when it pertains to other people’s properties?”

Lone said, “Doesn’t an aspiring tourist destination like Kashmir need infrastructure. Doesn’t it need hotels? Kashmir is a beautiful place. But there are so many beautiful places in the world. Please go out there and check the massive aesthetically built infrastructure in other places, and that isn’t it time that we sync our laws with the present times rather than be stuck in the era of the past.”

The PC chief raised several questions regarding the demolition drive and asked who facilitated these constructions.

“Has even one person been booked. The answer is no. If you work in government, you operate with impunity,” Lone said.

He said, “It is a humble request to the government of the day. Please come up with some new laws for building infrastructure. Stop criminalising infrastructure development by the private sector.  There are no government jobs on offer. With technology, government jobs in numbers and in percentage terms will decrease, contrary to the government’s manifesto pledge of increasing jobs.  If there are no government jobs and the government will not allow building, will not innovate, what will people do? How will they earn a living? I can see unemployment rising to record levels in the next five years. Hoping against hope that avenues of tourism will be allowed to create jobs. The old style of tourism of making huts will not work. Please create an enabling environment. Let the Babus make way for tourism consultants. Let the government stop making infrastructure. Let the private sector come in. It is an appeal to CM sahib. No point scoring. Please take a personal interest in revamping a mindset. A mindset which is a fossil dating back decades.”

Lone said, “We operate in an antiquated world, which is over-regulated. Please deregulate governance. And stand up against demolitions. Why is it that only poor homes or hotels get demolished? What about the elite? Are they all within the permissible limits?”

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