In a moving reaffirmation of shared humanity amid a bitterly contested demolition drive, a Hindu resident of Jammu has gifted a five-marla plot to Arfaz Ahmed Daing, a local journalist whose house was bulldozed by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) on November 27, prompting accusations of political vendetta and selective targeting.
Kuldeep Raj Sharma, a resident of the same neighbourhood in Bathindi, handed over the documents of the plot to Mr. Daing on Friday, declaring, “They demolished his house built on three marlas; I am giving him five marlas. If this is also touched, I will give him ten. Even if I have to beg, I will ensure my brother has a roof again.”
The journalist, who runs the news portal News Sehar India, has alleged that the demolition was retribution for his reporting that named a police officer in connection with alleged narcotics smuggling. Mr. Daing claims his family had lived on the plot for over four decades and was served no prior notice.
The action has snowballed into a full-blown political confrontation between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Lieutenant Governor’s administration. Mr. Abdullah termed the demolition a “conspiracy to malign the elected government” and questioned why a journalist was singled out when, he said, thousands of kanals of state land remain under the control of influential encroachers. He has demanded a comprehensive list of all encroachments in Jammu.
Former Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina, who visited the site, called the demolition “selective” and distanced the LG’s office from the decision, pointing fingers instead at the National Conference-led government.
The JDA has maintained that the structure was an illegal encroachment on state land and part of a larger retrieval drive covering over 16,000 kanals. Officials insist the operation followed due process.
In a further twist that has touched people across the Valley, a prominent saffron trader from Pampore in south Kashmir, who requested anonymity, has offered a plot worth approximately ₹1 crore to Mr. Sharma in recognition of his gesture.
“I was deeply moved. When the entire discourse is dominated by division, Kuldeep Sharma has reminded us that humanity is still alive,” the businessman told a local news agency. He said he spoke to Mr. Sharma over telephone on Saturday morning and the latter broke down upon hearing the offer. The trader plans to visit Jammu shortly to formally transfer the land.
“I am ready to give my blood for a man like him,” he added.
The episode has reignited debate over the use of bulldozers as an instrument of state policy, a practice the Supreme Court declared unlawful in 2024 unless strict guidelines on notice and due process are followed.
As political parties — from the PDP and CPI(M) to the People’s Conference — condemned the demolition and demanded action against “big land grabbers”, the quiet exchange of land between two neighbours from different faiths has emerged as a rare moment of grace in an otherwise polarised narrative.
For residents of Jammu, long proud of its composite culture, Mr. Sharma’s act and the saffron trader’s response have rekindled memories of an older, more inclusive ethos that many fear is under strain.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
