Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Former Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia has urged Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya to intervene in controversial state eviction drives. Saikia sent a formal letter on Tuesday. He wants an immediate halt to actions linked to a luxury hotel project near Kaziranga National Park and the Barduar Satellite Township project.
The pushback centers on the protection of indigenous, tribal, and Adivasi communities. Saikia noted that 45 families in the Rangajan village and Ingle Pathar area face displacement. These evictions threaten their agricultural livelihoods. The hotel project sits inside the eco-sensitive Greater Kaziranga area. Saikia argues these moves may violate the Assam (Temporarily Settled Areas) Tenancy Act of 1971. This law guards tenant farmers from arbitrary removal and grants occupancy rights.
The former opposition leader also highlighted the arrests of protesters. Police detained Aditya Rabha for opposing the Barduar township. They also arrested Pranab Doley and Amit Nag for demonstrating against the Kaziranga project. Saikia warned that development must respect constitutional safeguards. He said, "Assam had traditionally sought to balance development with social justice and that development should proceed in a transparent and fair manner without uprooting indigenous communities."
Saikia wants the Governor to demand a government report on both projects. He is calling for an independent inquiry into environmental law compliance and land rights violations. He wants a pause on all eviction proceedings until a full review is finished. If evictions must proceed, he demands fair compensation and rehabilitation for those involved. Finally, Saikia urged the administration to stop filing criminal cases against peaceful protesters and requested a legal review for those currently detained.
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