Srinagar: The Indian government has seized over 159 kanals of land in Srinagar, including property owned by notable pro-freedom activists like the incarcerated former president of the Kashmir Bar Association, Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom. This move is part of a broader strategy to alter the demographic and cultural landscape of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, the land appropriation was officially for the construction of the Raghu Nath Ji Temple in the Barzulla area, a decision enforced by the local High Court on Tuesday. This action has been widely criticized as an attempt by the Narendra Modi-led regime to promote its Hindutva agenda, utilizing the judiciary to suppress the Kashmiri movement for self-determination and to solidify Hindu dominance in the region.
The seizure includes land owned by Qayoom and his siblings, intensifying concerns among locals and observers that such moves aim to dilute the Muslim-majority character of Kashmir. This development could heighten tensions in an area already marked by significant political and sectarian strife.