Bulldozer runs on ancestral house, Khaira says - an attempt to suppress voices
In Punjab's Kapurthala district, Congress MLA Sukhpald Singh Khaira claims his ancestral property was unlawfully demolished by local authorities as part of an anti-encroachment drive, urging that it represents a dangerous move to silence dissent.
In Ramgarh village of Punjab's Kapurthala district, an anti-encroachment operation led by the district administration resulted in the demolition of a gate and a portion of Congress MLA Sukhpald Singh Khaira's ancestral home. Khaira alleged that this action was taken without prior notice, emphasizing the abruptness of the enforcement and its implications for democratic discourse in the region. He criticized the Punjab government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing them of executing a directive from Arvind Kejriwal to suppress opposition voices in the state.
Prior to the drive, Khaira mobilized his supporters, labeling the operation as the beginning of 'bulldozer politics' in Punjab, a term often used to denote significant governmental actions against perceived illegal encroachments. He contended that this was not just a targeted attack on his property but also a broader strategy to intimidate and silence dissenting political voices. He asserted the legitimacy of his property claims, stating that his family has resided there for over 200 years, and that the administrative action was aggressively enforced accompanied by a heavy police presence.
Khaira expressed his intent to challenge this order in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, maintaining that he possesses all necessary documentation proving ownership and declaring that no part of his land is illegal. His case underscores the rising tensions in Punjab's political landscape and raises significant questions about the intersection of property rights and governance in the context of state authority and local political dynamics.