Jodhpur: More than 70 kutcha-pucca houses belonging to Pakistan Hindu immigrants were bulldozed by the Jodhpur Development Authority (JDA) in the Chaukha village of the city, according to recent reports. The displaced people claimed that they were evicted from Pakistan, and now their homes have been demolished in India as well.
The JDA claimed that action had been taken to remove encroachment from the area and that a public notice had already been issued regarding the work. The drive also reportedly freed around 400 bighas of land from encroachment in the B and C sectors of the Rajiv Nagar Colony.
However, during the drive, the pain of the Pakistani Hindus was clear to see as women and children cried at the sight of their homes being destroyed. The place where the houses were built is Rajiv Gandhi Awasiya Yojna Khasra No. 61, and the JDA has maintained that the action was taken not against the Hindus but against the encroachment.
Pakistan Hindu immigrants have since submitted a memorandum to the Jodhpur District Collector regarding this action, stating that the land on which the JDA has taken action belongs to the Gram Panchayat. "We have given between Rs 70,000 to Rs 2 lakh for the land, however, it seems the land mafia has befooled us," said one of the immigrants.
This incident has once again highlighted the plight of the Pakistan Hindu immigrants in India, who have faced numerous challenges in recent years. With the issue of illegal immigration becoming increasingly politicized in India, the situation for these vulnerable communities remains uncertain.