Saikia Presses Governor to Halt Assam Evictions and Free Activists

Guwahati: Former Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia fired a letter to Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya this Tuesday. He demanded an immediate stop to eviction drives targeting indigenous and tribal communities. He also wants the release of social activists jailed for protesting commercial developments.

The controversy centers on a proposed luxury hotel near Kaziranga National Park and the Barduar Satellite Township. Saikia claims the state is prioritizing private projects over the constitutional rights of families living in the area since before Independence. Around 45 Adivasi and indigenous families in the Rangajan and Ingle Pathar areas face displacement. Their farms are now at risk.

Saikia argues these evictions bypass the Assam Temporarily Settled Areas Tenancy Act of 1971. That law exists to protect tenant farmers from arbitrary removal. The former leader wants an independent review of the project impacts. He demands proof that the government followed legal safeguards before pushing families off their ancestral soil.

Protests erupted as residents learned they might lose their claim to land pattas under the Vasundhara scheme. Police subsequently arrested Aditya Rabha, Pranab Doley, and Amit Nag. A coalition of civil society members signed a statement condemning the state response. They questioned the legitimacy of the criminal charges brought against the protest leaders.

The coalition asked: "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?"

Signatories include Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Abdul Mannan, Apurba Sharma, Sitanath Lahkar, and Apurba Kumar Baruah. They contend the government intends to hand over traditional tribal territory to private corporations. Saikia has requested an impartial inquiry committee. He wants the Governor to suspend all eviction proceedings until a full report on the legal, environmental, and humanitarian costs is complete.