“Administration is Targeting Cultivators,” Alleges PDP MLA from Pulwama | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: PDP MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para on Monday joined local farmers in paddy transplantation in Pulwama’s Padgampora area, protesting against what the party described as government attempts to evict cultivators from the land.

Para was seen driving a tractor and later participating in the transplantation of paddy saplings alongside farmers, as tensions continued over the administration’s reported efforts to reclaim the agricultural land.

He alleged that authorities had earlier destroyed saplings and warned farmers of action under the Public Safety Act if they continued cultivation. “The authorities had destroyed the saplings and threatened the farmers with the Public Safety Act (PSA) if they cultivate the land again. So I joined the farmers in cultivating the land again,” Para said.

The MLA said the land, though classified as state property, has been cultivated by local families for over a century. He questioned the government’s plan to use fertile agricultural land for construction purposes.

“I do not understand why the government wants to undertake construction on a fertile piece of land. There is so much barren land available. Why cannot they use those tracts?” he said.