Jammu, Nov 29: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday reiterated that the elected government did not issue any orders to Jammu Development Authority (JDA) for any drive in which the house of a journalist was also demolished on November 27.
Choudhary, who had gone to meet the journalist Arfaz Ahmed Daing, who runs a news portal, and his family to extend the solidarity, stated that the government would request the Lieutenant Governor to order an inquiry into the incident to fix the accountability for “a selective and an unjust act.”
“What we have learnt is that the officials acted on their own, without the knowledge of the Chief Minister (in-charge minister also) and the Lieutenant Governor. Clearly this was an act aimed at suppressing the fourth pillar of the society. We value the constitution and freedom of speech and expression granted by it. None can run J&K by resorting to oppressive policies,” he stated.
The Deputy Chief Minister informed that the Chief Minister had sought details from the JDA. “Chief Minister has sent me here. We will not spare the guilty. If they have to conduct anti-encroachment drives, then they should not be selective – targeting few only, especially poor. Influential landgrabbers should be first targeted,” he said.
Choudhary also appreciated Daing’s neighbours Kuldeep Sharma and his daughter Taniya for announcing to donate their 5-Marla land to the journalist’s family for reconstructing their house. “They are displaying the true spirit of Jammu, which has always been known for its communal harmony, composite culture,” he said.
Meanwhile the father of journalist Ghulam Qadir, in whose name the demolished house was registered, stated that he was overwhelmed by the compassion showered by Jammuites following the incident.
“The way the people of Jammu stood by me and my family with unconditional love and empathy, I’ve no words to express my gratitude. My loss is big but Jammu people of Jammu have made me forget it too for a while,” Ghulam Qadir stated in a choked voice.
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