Source:-https:\/\/www.tribuneindia.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday expressed confidence that J&K would get back 17,000 hectares of land grabbed under the Roshni scheme and action would be taken against the guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Roshni Act has been struck down by the J&K High Court. It has been termed illegal and unconstitutional. It had been brought in just to help a few big names in politics, business or bureaucracy,\u201d Thakur, who is the BJP\u2019s election in charge for J&K, told reporters here. He said he was glad the court had taken an initiative to probe the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am sure 3.42 lakh kanals (17,000 hectares) will be returned to Jammu and Kashmir. There will be action against who were involved in the corrupt practice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has filed a review petition in the high court seeking to distinguish between landless cultivators and wealthy land grabbers who had benefitted from the law, which has now been struck down. The petition will come up for hearing on December 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commenting on the ongoing District Development Council elections, Thakur said the people would decide which party would win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHowever, the response to the five phases of the elections so far means people have already ensured the victory of democracy. The important thing is these polls have so far been free, fair and fear-free,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister said there were attempts the scare the people ahead of the elections \u201cbut they (voters) were not scared\u201d. On the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, Thakur said many people had benefited from it, including Gorkhas and West Pakistan refugees. \u2014 PTI<\/p>\n