Srinagar/ Jammu, May 21 -- Kashmir leaders expressed outrage on Wednesday against the demolition of houses and structures of tribal communities in Jammu. As many as 32 illegal structures of Gujjar community were demolished in a joint action by the forest department, the revenue department and police in the wee hours on Tuesday to reclaim "illegally encroached forest land". The Omar Abdullah-led NC government has constituted a fact-finding committee to inquire and report on any violations of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Minister for tribal affairs Javed Ahmed Rana constituted a two-member inquiry committee to investigate if the demolition of houses belonging to tribal families violated Forest Rights Act. An order issued by the commissioner secretary, tribal affairs, Prasanna Ramaswamy stated that "sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of fact-finding committee, to enquire into, and report on any violations of Forest Rights Act, 2006, in respect of recent demolition of houses of tribal families in Raika Bandi (Sidhra) Jammu." Director and assistant director in the department of tribal affairs, Mohammad Mumtaz Ali and Muzamil Hassan Choudhary, respectively, have been directed to conduct the probe. The committee shall submit its report within a period of seven days from the date of issuance of this order, it added. There has been widespread condemnations by political and religious leaders of Kashmir valley alleging 'selective action' and in violation of 'Forest Rights Act'. People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti castigated the elected government as well as the administration for the demolition in Jammu as well as the demolition of houses of families of drug smugglers in Kashmir. "You saw in Jammu yesterday how 60 houses were demolished on the premise that they were living on grazing land. That is why PDP had brought a land bill (in assembly) for those poor people who had houses on small pockets of land like 5 marlas or 10 marlas, so that those people who had constructed houses on grazing land were not harassed. But that bill was rejected by the government and see what happened today in Jammu," Mufti said at a press briefing. National Conference spokesperson Ifra Jan said that the demolitions were targeting a particular community despite encroachments on state land were widespread across Jammu. "80% encroachment on state land is in Jammu and if the demolition drive starts in Jammu it will affect all there. She said that FRA gives a right to tribal communities over forest land. "As per FRA, Gujjar-Bakerwal communities have a right on forest land if they are living on it for over 75 years. This is across the country to protect tribal populations. Their claim is already filed with gram sabha and how are you demolishing their structures," she said. Awami Ittehad Party termed the demolitions "inhumane, anti-poor and a direct assault on economically weaker and tribal families." AIP chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi in a press statement said that nearly 14 lakh kanals of state land in Jammu division itself are allegedly under illegal occupation. "If the administration is genuinely serious about retrieving state land, then why are bulldozers reaching only the homes of economically weaker sections, tribal communities and poor families? Why is there selective action only against powerless people?" he asked.People's Conference president, Sajad Lone alleged that the NC-led government's move to order an inquiry into and report on any violation of the Forest Rights Act during the demolition drive in Jammu was a mere eyewash. "This probe will serve a purpose only if the claims of the affected people under FRA are pending. It wouldn't have taken the NC-led government more than 10 minutes to find out whether there has been a violation of the FRA. Why seven days time for something which would have been established in 10 minutes," Lone said. Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said that the manner in which the Sidhra demolition drive was carried out was "deeply concerning". "Under what law can officials carry out such forced evictions without due process? Many of the affected families claim they had been living there for years. If that is the case, the matter should have been handled with great care and strictly in accordance with the law and established guidelines," he said. Chief cleric of Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq called the demolitions a "disturbing news". "Selective targeting of communities under the garb of law enforcement-reportedly filing FIR against mourners in Kulgam at the funeral of former Jamaat-e-Islami chief and Islamic scholar Sheikh Ghulam Hassan or targeting of nomads and tribals in Jammu on the basis of religion without any humanitarian consideration, is weaponisation of law. It vitiates the atmosphere, furthering mistrust," he said in a post on X....