Jammu, KMW News: Hundreds of lawyers under the banner of Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) today demonstrated outside the residence of Jammu and Kashmir Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla as they observed peaceful shutdown against government’s decision of taking away the powers of land registration from judicial officers.
Shouting ‘anti-government’ and ‘anti-Omar Abdullah’ slogans, the BAJ members led by president B S Slathia this morning took out car and scooter rally, covering all the markets of the town.
The BAJ activists, supported by traders, hoteliers, transporters, political parties and social organisations protested outside Mr Bhalla’s house and asked him to immediately rollback the decision of taking away the powers of land registration.
Addressing the demonstrators outside the Minister’s residence, Mr Slathia alleged that the decision would only help the ‘land mafia’, who wants to seek regularisation of their illegal encroachments by vesting the registration powers with the Revenue and Executive officers.
“It is unfortunate that the lawyers are on strike for the last 28 days but the government is still maintaining the silence over the issue,” the BAJ president said.
Rejecting the government’s appeal of Jammu and Kashmir government made yesterday to call off their strike, Mr Slathia said, “We were not invited for dialogue. The appeal was published in newspapers and displayed on television channels with an intention to flop the Jammu Bandh.” The BAJ chief said they “are ready for negotiations and talks only after the government properly invites them to the table.” However, commuters especially the Vaishno Devi pilgrims suffered while the offices and the schools observed thin attendances due to complete shutdown.
