Migrants from Tikkar demand restoration of agri land

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 28: Displaced Kashmiri Pandit Welfare Committee, Tikkar Kupwara, Kashmir today demanded immediate restoration of the land belonging to the community in village Tikakr which has been in an unauthorized way occupied by Border Roads Organization (BRO) and All India Radio through district administration without intimating its owners who are leading an exiled life for over last 22 years.
Talking to reporters here today G L Bhat, president of the Committee made an appeal to State government in this regard. He said the migrants be handed over the land so that they can use it for agriculture and horticulture purposes. He warned that in case the government failed to give justice to the hapless people from the villages, they will be forced to come to streets.
Bhat wanted to know why the district administration handed over the migrants land to the BRO or All India Radio without prior permission of its owners and termed it a big conspiracy on the part of the district administration.
Bhat, while criticizing the government said that on one hand it is making tall claims on return of the migrants to their homes and hearths in Valley and on the other hand the government agencies are itself involved in encroachment of their land. How will be the Pandits able to return when their land is encroached by government itself, he asked?
He said the, matter was also brought by the Committee in the notice of both state and Central governments but they failed to act till date and dispensate justice to the community members from the village forcing them to approach the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
which registered the case in March 2003.
He said though NHRC also passed several directives to State Government but the later failed to do any thing concrete.
Those present in the press conference included Mohan Lal Padroo, Brij Nath Peshin, Avtar Krishan Trackroo and Makhan Lal Padroo.