Lone Slams Kangan Demolition, Questions Selective Enforcement in Kashmir | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference President and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone on Wednesday sharply criticised the demolition of a house in Kangan, questioning the legality, fairness, and intent behind the operation. Visuals of the structure being torn down, despite furniture and curtains still inside, triggered public discomfort and prompted Lone to demand transparency and accountability.

Lone said the footage suggested “something sinister”, noting that the presence of household belongings indicated a punitive and abrupt action rather than a standard enforcement measure. He questioned the premise of the demolition, arguing that even if authorities believed the structure functioned as a hotel, the approach was disproportionate. “Assume it was a hotel. How big a crime is it to make a hotel without permission? Are all hotels in Kashmir legal. Was this the last illegal hotel?” he remarked.

Framing the incident within a wider governance challenge, Lone said the situation pointed to systemic flaws rather than isolated violations. “If a majority of people are breaking the law, is there something wrong with the people or is there something wrong with the law?” he asserted, criticising what he described as selective activism in Kashmir. “Why is every person in Kashmir a climate activist or a sustainability expert when it pertains to other people’s properties?” he said.

He argued that Kashmir, aspiring to expand its tourism footprint, urgently requires modern infrastructure and updated building regulations “stuck in the era of the past”. “Doesn’t an aspiring tourist destination like Kashmir need infrastructure? Doesn’t it need hotels?” Lone said.

The PC President also alleged that punitive demolitions disproportionately target the powerless, while officials who approve or ignore such constructions face no consequences. “Who facilitated these constructions. Has even one person been booked? The answer is No. If you work in government, you operate with impunity,” he added.

Pointing to shrinking government employment opportunities, he said obstructing private development would harm livelihoods. “There are no government jobs on offer. If the government will not allow to build, will not innovate, what will people do? How will they earn a living?” he asked, calling for greater private investment in tourism and professional expertise over bureaucratic control. “The old style of tourism of making huts will not work. The Babus should make way for tourism consultants,” he said.

Urging the Chief Minister to intervene, Lone called for dismantling what he termed a “fossilised mindset” governing construction norms. He demanded deregulation, an end to selective demolitions, and fair enforcement. “Why is it that only poor homes or hotels get demolished. What about the elite? Are they all within the permissible limits?” he questioned.