Omar says bulldozers can’t be first step, seeks ‘due process’ in eviction drive

Questioning whether the administration was keen on creating a “lawless society through the use of bulldozers” across the UT, Omar also alleged corruption on part of officers on the ground due to a lack of transparency around who is on the list.

He also stated that many people have documents to support their claims but are not getting a chance to prove their legitimate claims over their property. “If you see these lists that are doing the rounds, while our names have featured, the properties of the Raj Bhawan, IB and R&AW, UN offices are also mentioned. After that these lists disappeared,” he said. Meanwhile, he added, “the government lawyer has stated in the high court that all these lists are fake and have not been issued by the government.”

He emphasised that the UT administration needs to provide the basis for these demolitions in the absence of any notice or paperwork. “If a notice has been sent, there will be a receipt. If someone does not accept the notice, you have to stick the notice on the premises after which it is deemed to have been served. We have seen no such due diligence or following of any procedure before these demolitions took place,” he added.

Meanwhile, speaking on the delay in hearing the petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court, Omar said that the delay on the part of the apex court to hear these petitions makes him hopeful that the Centre’s move will not stand legal scrutiny.

“As long as the issue is alive in the Supreme Court, I will always be hopeful. In fact if anything, the delay makes me even more hopeful. I truly believe that if the government was confident in its defence, it would have pressed the Supreme Court for an early hearing, as they do in numerous other matters. The fact that the government has shown such reluctance to get into this discussion in the Supreme Court shows that they, at least privately, understand that they don’t have a leg to stand on. So one day, the Supreme Court will have to hear this case I have an assurance from the current chief justice who still has some time left in his tenure that he will make sure that the hearings begin in this matter,” he said.