Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former minister in the PDP-BJP government, Naeem Akhtar, was today directed to vacate his government accommodation in Srinagar’s fortified Gupkar area at a short notice of five hours before forcible eviction.
At 11 am on Thursday, two employees of the Estates Department arrived at the government-owned property, currently occupied by Mr. Akhtar and his family, and directed him to vacate the house by 4PM, said Mr. Akhtar.
When Mr. Akhtar sought a day’s time, the officials said that they would “forcibly evicted” if they did not vacate the house on the given time. “They just gave us just few hours to evict from the house, also knowing that I do not have any house to shift to,” Mr. Akhtar told The Kashmir Walla.
Mr. Akhtar had sold his Srinagar residence after it was attacked a few times by anti-government protesters in the recent years. “They have done this during the worldwide pandemic and eviction in this time is not less than a death threat,” he said, adding that he was planning to shift to a relative’s house in the interim period till a permanent accommodation is arranged. “This was expected from the BJP government who did away with special status of Jammu and Kashmir without following any due process, I have no expectations from such a government.”
The sudden directive to vacate the house has also come at a time when Mr. Akhtar continues to be in house detention. He was recently released after being booked under the Public Safety Act, last year September, “refusing to sign a bond assuring that he would not indulge in political activity” after the abrogation of the erstwhile state’s semi-autonomous status, said family sources.