Farmers in R.S.Pura, Jammu district, have launched a protest against the Jammu Kashmir administration, alleging the forceful seizure of their lands and its designation as state property.
Organized under the J&K Farmers Movement and Bharat Kissan Union J&K unit, these farmers have been staging sit-in protests regularly since March 1, 2023, demanding the restoration of their land rights and livelihoods. Their chants of “Modi Sarkar Murdabad”, “Kissano Ki Zameenien Wapis Karo”, “Article-370, A-35 Wapis Lao”, and “Kisan Ekta Zindabad’’ resonate as they voice their grievances against the government’s actions.
The dispute arises from the government’s claim of reclaiming “encroached land” post the revocation of Article-370, a claim angrily opposed by locals who assert their ancestral ownership of the disputed lands. About 50-60 farmers and their families have been impacted by the move.
Despite their steadfast protests, the farmers expressed their resentment for the lack of response from the authorities for their demands of justice, land restitution, employment opportunities, and compensation.
One of the protestors, according to Kashmir Times, said, “I am a farmer’s son living in Ban Sultan and my four generations have tended this farmland, which was gifted to us by Maharaja Hari Singh. They’re wrongly claiming it as state-land.”
Another farmer claimed, “Generations of our families have toiled on this land, investing our blood and sweat into its cultivation. Losing this land would be devastating, as it is our primary means of livelihood. We demand nothing less than full justice from both the local and national governments regarding this matter.”
Amidst the turmoil, the plight of distraught women farmers adds an agonizing dimension, as they express fears of starvation and suicide if their lands are not returned.