Expanding Modi’s settler colonial project in occupied Jammu and Kashmir by grabbing more and more land and resources from the Kashmiris, the government of India’s Maharashtra state has purchased a plot in the territory for constructing the Maharashtra Bhawan (House) there.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the plot measuring 2.5 acre was acquired in Ichgam area of Budgam after the Maharashtra Cabinet granted the approval. Maharashtra Bhavan will be constructed on this land at a cost of 77 crores.
The transaction was sanctioned by the IIOJK administration. This was done despite the locals as well as the District Bar Association Budgam expressing grave concern over the authorities’ decision to transfer the land at Ichgam in favour of the Maharashtra government.
Earlier in June 2023, Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra state had requested the occupation authorities to provide land for construction of Maharashtra Bhavan in IIOJK.
Notably, Modi regime’s August 5, 2019 illegal action to repeal the special status of IIOJK was aimed at colonizing the territory and changing its demographic composition by settling non-Kashmiri Hindus there. —KMS
