J&K Assembly Heated Over Land Encroachment Remarks

February 17, 2026

Srinagar, Feb 17 — The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed heated scenes on Tuesday as lawmakers clashed over allegations of land encroachment in the Union Territory. The uproar was triggered by comments from BJP legislator Vikram Randhawa during the post‑Question Hour session on alleged illegal occupation of state land.

Randhawa claimed that a large portion of land belonging to the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has been encroached upon and said that people from the Kashmir Valley were responsible for most of the occupations. His remarks drew sharp objections from opposition members who accused him of unfairly singling out Kashmiris.

Opposition Demands Apology, Alleges Defamation

Congress and an Independent MLA immediately demanded an apology, arguing that Randhawa’s statement amounted to community defamation. “Chor machaye shor… Kashmiri ko badnam karna band karo,” shouted legislators in response, expressing outrage on the Assembly floor.

National Conference (NC) members also joined the fray, countering Randhawa’s allegations and escalating the tensions during the debate. Amid verbal exchanges, some lawmakers even questioned Randhawa’s credibility and motives behind the remarks.

Clarification and Attempt to Calm Tensions

With the situation threatening to spiral further, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary stepped in to facilitate a clarification from Randhawa. The BJP MLA then sought to moderate his comments, emphasising that his intent was not to defame any community, but rather to highlight concerns over encroachments. This helped in cooling tempers and calming the Assembly.

While the immediate turmoil subsided, the episode highlighted the sensitivity of land encroachment issues and how quickly they can escalate into broader political and communal concerns in J&K’s legislature.

Context: Encroachment and Land Issues in J&K

The debate over encroachment reflects wider concerns within the Union Territory about land use, illegal occupation, and state property recovery. In recent sessions, MLAs have raised questions about land encroachments and the need for action to retrieve government land. Officials previously disclosed that significant tracts of state land are under illegal occupation and have outlined ongoing eviction and retrieval efforts.

Anti‑encroachment campaigns and related policy discussions have repeatedly surfaced in Assembly sessions, indicating that land governance remains a key political and administrative issue in J&K.