70 structures of Pakistan migrants demolished by JDA in Jodhpur …
JODHPUR: About 70 illegal structures were demolished by the Jodhpur Development Authority (JDA) under an anti-encroachment drive in the Chokha area of the city on Tuesday. Most of these belonged to migrants of the minority community from Pakistan and were 'houses' on the JDA land.In protest, the encroachers resorted to stone-pelting, damaging machinery and injuring people, including a JCB operator. They also beat a journalist.Two separate complaints have been filed by the journalist and JDA against one Bhag Chand Bheel, coordinator of the organisation 'Nimittekam', for inciting the people to violence.
TNNMigrants charged between Rs 70,000-Rs 2 lakh per plotHe is allegedly a community leader and living here on long-term visa (LTV).JDA commissioner Navneet Kumar said that the encroachments were on 'khasra no.
61' and is part of JDA's Rajiv Gandhi Colony that comes under sectors B and C."We had flagged these encroachments and served public notices to these encroachers for vacating the land. But they did not act. So, we undertook the anti-encroachment drive and demolished about 70 structures illegally built on this land," Kumar said.Refuting JDA's claim, Bheel claimed that the land did not belong to JDA and came under the mining department."This land does not belong to JDA.
It falls under panchayats of Gangana and Chokha and is mining land. These families have been living here for the past 4-5 years," claimed Bheel, terming JDA's action as an atrocity on the poor migrants.The protesters submitted a memorandum to the district collector and demanded rehabilitation of the displaced migrants.Nimittekam, which claims to be an organisation working for the rehabilitation of Hindu and Sikh migrants from Pakistan, is headed by Jai Ahuja, nephew of former BJP legislator Gyan Dev Ahuja.According to sources, the migrants were charged between Rs 70,000 and Rs 2 lakh per plot by some people, claiming the deals to be legal and promising them safety from eviction in future. Kumar also said that some encroachers had complained that they had been cheated and had paid for these plots. "When they learnt that this land was not theirs legally, they complained about cheating.
We have advised them to file FIRs against those persons with the police," Kumar said.[1]