Shams ul Haq
Tribal population Banali village in northern Kashmir’s Uri town staged a protest demonstration demanding the rehabilitation and land for their survival before demolishing the structures which are allegedly illegal as per the government order issued by the Executive magistrate 1st class Boniyar.
According to the inhabitants of the village Banali, their Ancestors are residing there for the last 200 years and the land belongs to them only.
“From last 70-80 years we are living in the frontier of these forests, If today government is evacuating us from these land where are we supposed to go then. We don’t have any other place to live in as we are solemnly dependent on these lands. We urge the government to please provide us the lands where we can continue our livelihood before the eviction from our ancestor’s lands”
Another old age tribal who is around 80 years old speaking to The Kashmiriyat said ” This notice is the first step towards our disastrous end. I am blind and usually remain sick, from various hardships and struggles we made our Houses. If now the government is forcing us to demolish these structures then where are we supposed to go, It would be better if the government will bring the swords and kill us as there is no other option for survival to us”.
Ghulam u Din another resident who is approximately 65 years old while speaking to ‘The Kashmiriyat’ said “This place was safest for us to live because this is the hilly area and landslides are often happening around, Snowballs are another threat because there has been a big threat to us last year. Last year when the landslide occurred people from our village rushed to Tehsil headquarters Boniyar for their safety wherein cold winter they had to live. I urge the government to provide us shelter before evicting us from these lands”.
Zahid Parvaiz Chowdhary, President J&K Gujjar Bakarwal youth welfare Conference condemned the selective approach of LG administration against Tribal in Jammu Kashmir. He further said that the central government is making fake claims of strengthening the Gujjar Bakarwal community but in reality, this all goes in vain.