JAISALMER: Following directives from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, authorities have launched a major drive against encroachments within a 50-kilometre radius of the India-Pakistan international border in Rajasthan’s frontier districts.Keeping national security concerns in mind, the administration has begun demolishing illegal constructions near the border from Bakhasar to Munabao in Barmer district in the presence of heavy police deployment and senior administrative officials.On Thursday and Friday, more than six unauthorized religious structures and madrasas were demolished in Barmer district as part of the operation.The action was carried out in Gadra Road and Sedwa areas. Similar anti-encroachment measures were also reported in Jaisalmer, where structures built on government land were removed over the past two days.The ongoing “Operation Clean” has created a stir across the border districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer, with district administrations issuing notices to more than 300 alleged encroachers.According to official information, strict instructions were issued to remove illegal occupations from grazing lands (Gochar), Oran lands, and government properties.Following these directions, SDMs of Sedwa, Chohtan, Ramsar, and Gadra Road issued notices to encroachers on June 11, giving them until 10 a.m. on June 18 to present their side.After the deadline expired, enforcement teams suddenly launched demolition drives on Thursday and Friday morning.Many of the structures removed during the first phase of the operation were religious establishments located close to the international border.As part of the campaign, a mosque situated in Malana village near the Indo-Pak border in Barmer district was demolished by a joint team of police and administration officials.The mosque, which reportedly fell under the encroachment category, had been constructed around four years ago.Following the demolition, local residents raised several questions regarding the administration’s action.Maulana Maroof Khan, who teaches at the madrasa, stated that he had received the notice only a day before the demolition and was in the process of preparing a response when the structure was removed.He said no protest was made against the action.Another cleric, Hasam Khan, claimed that the religious structure had been built two years ago and that a madrasa had been functioning there since 2009.According to him, the land was originally recorded as inhabited land and the area then fell under Jaisindhar Gram Panchayat before Malana became a separate panchayat.Apart from Malana,in Barmer encroachments were removed from several sensitive locations in Barmer district, including Gadra Road, Munabao, Ramsar, Bijrad, Sedwa, and Bakhasar.In Bhalgaon village of the Sedwa region in Barmer, the administration used bulldozers to remove religious structures belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities.Shops in Demba and a religious structure in Deva village of Bakhasar were also demolished. A large police force remained deployed throughout the operation.Barmer Superintendent of Police Chuna Ram Jat said that authorities also demolished permanent illegal constructions erected on government land by Arbab Khan and Karim Khan, alleged operators of an MD drug manufacturing unit in Sihar village of the Sedwa area.Meanwhile, the administration in both Barmer and Jaisalmer has issued notices not only for structures built on government, Oran, and grazing lands but also for religious sites, madrasas, and residential constructions erected on agricultural land without proper authorization.For instance, a notice issued to Sindhal, son of Jusab Khan, a resident of Madroop Ka Par in Ramsar, stated that 28 residential houses and a religious structure had been constructed on 12 hectares of jointly owned agricultural land.Authorities maintained that such usage violated the original purpose of the land.In Jaisalmer On Thursday, the illegal madrassa Rahmania, along with a mosque near Malasar village in the Nokh police station area near the international border adjoining Jaisalmer, was demolished under the supervision of the Baap SDM and Nokh police stationThe situation at the spot was reported to be completely peaceful, and surveillance was increased.The district administration has clarified that agricultural land can only be used for farming purposes.Establishing residential colonies or religious structures requires prior residential or commercial land-use approval from the competent authority.The campaign, however, has drawn political criticism.Congress in-charge and Baytu MLA Harish Choudhary, along with MP Ummeda Ram Beniwal, addressed a press conference in Jaisalmer on Friday and opposed the ongoing operation.They alleged that the drive was being carried out for political gains and warned against turning border areas into a political agenda.Harish Choudhary stated that while there should be no compromise on national security, the manner in which the campaign was being executed was completely inappropriate.MP Ummeda Ram Beniwal alleged that the Central Government was using such actions to divert attention from economic issues.He further claimed that efforts were being made in recent days to weaken the long-standing communal harmony of the border region and create divisions along caste and community lines.Beniwal argued that the earlier security restriction covered a 15-kilometre border belt, which has now been expanded to 50 kilometres.He pointed out that farmers in border villages often reside in field settlements where temples, mosques, gurdwaras, and shrines have existed for decades.According to him, the campaign was politically motivated and was harming the traditional brotherhood of the Thar region.He also alleged that several notices had been issued with backdated entries and questioned the fairness of the administrative process.
