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Srinagar: The ongoing anti-encroachment drive in Jammu and Kashmir is another attempt to “seize our land and cause massive changes to our demography”, the PDP claimed on Sunday, alleging the Centre has “prioritised” evicting people from their homes rather than addressing unemployment, and the safety of Kashmiri Pandits.

In its monthly newsletter, ‘Speak Up’, released on Sunday, the party said that in the past three years “the only reforms we have received from the Centre are land laws because for GOI (government of India) it will always be about the land”.

“Even Ladakhis that were happy with the abrogation (of Article 370) are feeling buyer’s remorse as they realize they’ve been duped by GOI. For over a year now, they have been demanding statehood and special status as per the 6th schedule.

“Prior to the abrogation, Ladakhis had precedence over government jobs and land ownership rights. Their leaders have also finally acknowledged that they were much better off as a part of J-K,” the party said.

The Peoples Democratic Party – led by Mehbooba Mufti – said the administration’s “massive eviction” drive is in full swing with the objective of reclaiming State land by evicting the “so-called encroachers”.

“Now, it just so happens that Raj Bhavan and Badami Bagh cantonment fall under the same category. The anti-encroachment drive is another attempt to seize our land and cause a massive changes to our demography. It’s ironic that whilst GOI is busy evicting the inhabitants of our lands 2000 sq. km of land in Ladakh has been encroached upon by China, a fact government of India will never concede,” it said.