Photo Courtesy: nenews
Guwahati: Civil society members and global rights advocates are pushing for the release of activists arrested during protests against land evictions in Assam. The group demands the immediate freedom of Pranab Doley and Aditya Rabha. Police arrested Doley in Guwahati on July 12. Officers formally processed his arrest on July 13 in connection with Bokakhat Police Station Case 108/2026. He faces seven days of police custody per a Bokakhat District Court order.
The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs claims Doley was targeted for opposing major development projects. Doley, the convenor of the Karbi Anglong Solar Power Project Affected People’s Rights Committee, previously fought a 1,000 MW Solar Park project. The Asian Development Bank had approved a USD 434.25 million loan for that site before the project fell through. Current tensions stem from a proposed Hyatt luxury hotel project near Kaziranga National Park.
Critics say the government plans to hand ancestral lands to private companies. Affected residents expected land ownership documents under the Vasundhara scheme. Instead, they face eviction. Legal battles over the hotel site are now before the Gauhati High Court. On June 1, the court issued notices to the Assam Tourism Development Corporation following a petition from 20 Adivasi families. These families work as daily wage earners in nearby tea gardens.
Signatories including Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Abdul Mannan, Apurba Sharma, Sitanath Lahkar, and Apurba Kumar Baruah condemned the state actions. The statement read, "What is the crime of Pranab Doley, Aditya Rabha, and their fellow activists? How can standing with these unfortunate people and providing leadership to their movement be considered a crime? Do the common citizens of this country not even have the right to carry out peaceful, democratic protests while seeking justice?" Supporters argue the government filed a false case to silence dissenters.
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