Mockery of Justice: Nai Basti Shopkeepers Betrayed, Left to Fight for Survival.
||Black & White Digital News||
||Parvinder Singh March 16, 2025||
JAMMU: In what can only be termed as a betrayal of trust and a mockery of justice, the 39 shopkeepers of Nai Basti, Jammu, who have been running their businesses for over six decades, are now facing forced eviction without any proper rehabilitation. The reason? The road-widening and flyover construction project initiated under the BJP-led Central Government, with the backing of the LG administration, has turned into a nightmare for these traders.
While the administration had assured rehabilitation before any demolition, the reality on the ground tells a different tale. The shopkeepers have now been served eviction notices with just seven days to vacate, leaving them with no choice but to protest on the streets.
BJP MLAs Playing Politics with the Pain of the Poor:
In a dramatic turn of events, BJP MLAs Vikram Randhawa and Narender Singh Raina staged a protest in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, walking to the well of the House in support of these distressed traders. However, the real question is: Why this sudden concern now?
If these MLAs were genuinely concerned about the plight of these shopkeepers, why didn’t they lead a delegation to the Centre for rehabilitation in the past eight months? Why were they silent when the LG administration, backed by their own party, issued eviction notices without any resettlement plan?
The Reality Behind the Drama:
On July 20, 2024, senior BJP leader Late Shri Devender Singh Rana had led a delegation of these aggrieved shopkeepers to meet LG Manoj Sinha, seeking a compassionate resolution. After the meeting, Devender Singh Rana had assured the shopkeepers that the LG administration was sympathetic to their demands and committed to protecting the interests of the poor.
However, after Rana’s unfortunate demise, no BJP leader bothered to follow up on the issue. The promises made by the LG remained mere words, and the shopkeepers continued to suffer in silence.
The Crocodile Tears of BJP MLAs:
Now, when the eviction has become inevitable, these two BJP MLAs are shedding crocodile tears inside the Assembly and wasting the precious time and money of taxpayers. The reality is that these MLAs are simply doing “political drama” to fool the public and gain sympathy, while the livelihoods of 39 shopkeepers are being crushed under the so-called “development project” initiated by their own party.
Why Are They Not Leading a Delegation to Delhi?
If Vikram Randhawa and Narinder Singh Raina are truly concerned about the rehabilitation of these shopkeepers, why are they not leading a delegation to the Centre Government? Why are they not pressurizing the LG administration to fulfill the promise of rehabilitation before eviction?
Shopkeepers Left with No Option but Protest:
With no solution in sight and only seven days’ notice given, the shopkeepers have been left with no option but to protest on the streets. Ex-Corporator Pawan Singh and Bazar President Naveen Gupta, who had accompanied the earlier delegation are feeling betrayed by their own party.
“BJP’s Double Standards Exposed”?
The project was initiated by the BJP-led Centre Government.
The LG administration, backed by BJP, issued eviction notices without any rehabilitation plan.
BJP MLAs, instead of standing with the shopkeepers from day one, are now shedding fake tears inside the Assembly to fool the public.
Enough of This Drama:
The shopkeepers are demanding immediate rehabilitation before any demolition takes place. The question that every citizen of Jammu is now asking is:
Why are BJP MLAs playing with the sentiments of poor shopkeepers?
Why was there no follow-up for eight months after the LG’s assurance?
Why are BJP leaders doing drama in the Assembly instead of fighting for the rights of the shopkeepers on the ground?
The Verdict Lies in the Hands of the People:
The betrayal of the Nai Basti shopkeepers is a clear reflection of the BJP’s double standards.The battle for justice will continue until these shopkeepers are given proper rehabilitation and their right to livelihood is restored.
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