IBNS-CMEDIA: A major political row has erupted in Jammu after the home of journalist Arafaz Ahmad Daing was demolished in a JDA-led anti-encroachment drive, a move Daing claims was meant to punish him for his reporting, including stories on cross-border drug trafficking, media reports said.
The house, which Daing says was built by his father 40 years ago, was torn down in the presence of a heavy police contingent.
Officials from the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) maintain that the structure stood illegally on government land. Daing, however, argues he had moved into the home only after his own residence was demolished last year.
Daing, who runs a news portal, was also arrested in 2022 for reporting on protests against another demolition drive — a detail now resurfacing as questions grow around the latest action.
Footage showing the journalist being whisked away by police even as bulldozers razed the house went viral, triggering sharp political reactions.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the demolition a deliberate attempt to “defame and discredit” the elected government, alleging that officials appointed by the Lieutenant Governor had acted without approval.
“No one supports encroachment,” Abdullah said, “but the JDA cannot adopt a pick-and-choose approach. A particular community is being targeted. Was this the only encroachment in Jammu?”
He has demanded a full list of encroachments from the JDA.
Former J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina also condemned the demolition, terming it “selective” and extending support to the affected residents.
He distanced the Lieutenant Governor’s office from the action. “The LG has not used the bulldozer. He said no such orders were issued. Where did the order come from?” Raina asked.
Amid the political storm, a moment of solidarity emerged when Kuldeep Sharma, a Hindu neighbour of Daing, gifted him a five-marla plot, offering to help rebuild his home.
“I will not let my brother down,” Sharma said. “If they destroyed his house on three marlas, I am giving him five. Whatever it takes, we will rebuild.”
Sharma also criticised the Chief Minister, saying Abdullah must prevent such incidents if he intends to remain in office.
The Jammu and Kashmir government recently informed the Assembly that over 16,000 kanals of JDA land remain under encroachment across the region.
“The total JDA land under encroachment is 16,212 kanals and two marlas,” the Chief Minister said in a written reply. He added that an additional eight kanals and 16 marlas under Jammu Municipal Corporation jurisdiction were also encroached.
