Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Opposition parties and civil rights groups rallied in Guwahati on Saturday. They want activist Pranab Doley free. The Bhumi Adhikar Joutha Sangram Samiti organized the protest at Chachal. Police arrested Doley on July 12 for opposing a Hyatt luxury resort project at Inglay Pathar near Kaziranga. Authorities granted him bail on July 29. The Assam government hit him with the National Security Act one day later, claiming he posed a threat to public order.
Protesters argue the state is weaponizing security laws to kill dissent. They fear the move aims to silence indigenous voices. BAJSS convenor Subrata Talukdar warned that the pressure will not stop. He stated, "The agitation would continue until Doley was released unconditionally and the NSA action against him was withdrawn."
Speakers at the event highlighted broader land grabs. They pointed to vulnerable regions like Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Rabha Hasong, and Tiwa. Critics also tore into the proposed changes to the eco-sensitive zone around Kaziranga National Park. They believe the shift invites dangerous commercial construction.
Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi accused the government of trying to break the land rights movement through intimidation. AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi backed him, citing constitutional rights to protest. The group also slammed the proposed Satellite Township Bill for its potential impact on indigenous lands. Members from the Congress, AJP, Raijor Dal, and ASDC pledged to escalate the campaign if the government ignores these demands.
Updated at 23rd August 2026 at 2:00am
The protest on Saturday, August 22, drew a broader coalition than initially reported. Beyond the core opposition parties, representatives joined the demonstration from the Bodoland Territorial Region. Community spokespeople from Kaziranga also showed up to stand with activists from the other affected districts.
Updated at 23rd August 2026 at 1:48pm
The movement reached outside the capital on August 22. Artist Marshall Baruah launched a protest painting at Dibrugarh University, linking the push to free Doley with the fight to protect the environment. Supported by the university student body, Baruah used the canvas to challenge the government move to shrink the Kaziranga eco-sensitive zone from 10 kilometers down to one.
Baruah accused the state of sacrificing environmental safeguards for private gain. He urged younger generations to use their voices, pointing to figures like singer Zubeen Garg as examples of artists taking a stand on social and environmental issues.
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