Srinagar, May 23: Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest and Tribal Affairs Javed Ahmed Rana boycotted a Forest Department event in Srinagar in protest against the recent demolition of structures belonging to Gujjar and Bakarwal families in Jammu’s Sidhra area, The Hindu reported.
According to the report, the minister decided not to attend the “International Day for Biological Diversity” event held at Dachigam on Friday despite being invited as the chief guest.
The event was attended by senior Forest Department officials, including Commissioner Secretary Forests, Ecology and Environment Sheetal Nanda and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Sarvesh Rai.
The boycott came days after a joint team of the Forest Department and Jammu and Kashmir Police demolished 32 structures at Raika Bandi in Sidhra on May 19, displacing more than two dozen Gujjar and Bakarwal families.
The Hindu reported that Rana’s decision reflected growing differences between the elected government and officials who directly report to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Following the demolition drive, the minister also constituted a committee to ascertain the factual position regarding the eviction operation at Raika Bandi.
The committee includes senior officials from the Forest Department and Revenue Department and has been directed to examine the legality of the demolition drive and submit its report within seven working days.
The report stated that another fact-finding committee had also been constituted by the Tribal Affairs Department to investigate alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and constitutional safeguards available to Scheduled Tribes.
Meanwhile, Rana said electricity and water supply to the affected families, which had reportedly been disconnected by the Jammu Development Authority, were restored following his intervention.
The demolition drive has triggered sharp political reactions across Jammu and Kashmir, with opposition parties accusing the administration of targeting nomadic communities and questioning the role of the elected government in preventing such actions.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also criticised the Omar Abdullah-led government over the issue, alleging that the BJP continued to wield greater influence over administrative decisions in the Union Territory.
