Those against land to landless resposbile for 50,000 innocent deaths: J&K LG Manoj Sinha

Srinagar, Aug 21 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said those opposing the “land-to-landless policy” initiated by his administration were responsible for the death of 50,000 innocent people over the past three decades in the Union Territory.

Sinha said under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, nearly two lakh houses have been sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir but many of these beneficiaries did not have any land to construct houses.

“A decision was made to give land to those who are eligible under the scheme as per the 2011 Census. However, when poor people get land and houses, distress is a common reaction of some people,” Sinha said at the three-day ‘National Thematic Workshop on Localisation of (LSDGs) Sustainable Development Goals in Panchayats’ here.

He said some leaders made statements that non-locals have been given land.

“I just want to ask members of panchayats who are here that just give me the name of even a single non-local person who has been given land. Those who are making such statements because of them 50,000 innocent people have been killed,” Sinha said.

The LG highlighted the “changes” that have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir over the past four years.

“People ask what has changed? Street violence has been completely wiped off. Shops, schools and colleges are not closed due to anyone’s dictatorship. People did not believe that they would come back to their home live at the end of the day, this was the situation here. But today restaurants are open till 10 pm and we can see young people enjoying themselves near the Dal Lake. These are the changes,” he said.

Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Patil said good governance has been started in Jammu and Kashmir under the guidance of Sinha.

“From all states of the country, public representatives are present. The prime minister of India always says that if a village develops, the country develops,” Patil said.