Assam's Dhubri eviction drive: Cong MP says 'illegal'; BJP claims in interest of indigenous people

Guwahati, Jul 8 (PTI) Congress Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain on Tuesday alleged that the eviction drive carried out by the Assam government to clear 3,500 bighas of land in Dhubri district was "illegal and unconstitutional".

Hussain the local MP claimed that the Gauhati High Court had stayed any eviction till the next date of hearing a petition in this regard filed by the alleged encroachers, but it was disregarded by the government.

The ruling BJP, however, claimed that the operation was carried out as per law and in the interest of safeguarding the interests of the indigenous communities of the state.

Among the largest eviction operations in this northeastern state, it was carried out under Chapar circle of Bilasipara sub-district on Dhubri amidst opposition by a section of affected people on Tuesday.

Alleged encroachers and miscreants had damaged excavators and attacked the police during the day-long drive, though security forces later brought the situation under control.

A senior official of Dhubri district administration had told PTI on Monday that the cleared land will be handed over to APDCL for a proposed thermal power project by the Adani group.

Talking to media persons here, Hussain said, "The eviction drive is inhumane, unconstitutional and against the law. The government is working at the behest of Adani." "Adani’s son visited Assam recently and our administration and chief minister have gone on an overdrive to deliver to them. The poor people are not even allowed a breathing space anymore," he claimed.

The MP claimed that the Gauhati High Court, which is hearing a petition against the eviction filed by the affected people, had ordered that no such drive should be carried out till the next date of hearing.

It had also asked the administration to serve individual eviction notices to all alleged illegal occupants while hearing another case, Hussain claimed.

"We will check whether there has been contempt of court," he said.

"The chief minister has betrayed the people and he and the BJP will have to face consequences," Hussain said.

Meanwhile, state BJP's chief spokesperson Kishore Kumar Upadhyay maintained that the eviction drive against illegal encroachment will continue in the interest of protecting the identity, land and roots of the indigenous people of the state.

"Assam's reserved forest land, Village Grazing Reserves (VGR), Professional Grazing Reserves (PGR) as well as land belonging to indigenous and tribals are shrinking due to the encroachment by illegal infiltrators. The party extends full support for the action undertaken by the government in accordance with the directives of the Supreme Court," he said in a statement.

Upadhyay alleged that the previous Congress governments had helped illegal immigrants from Bangladesh settle in the state for their "vote bank politics".

"Instead of understanding the pain and concerns of the indigenous communities, the Congress party had made arrangements to settle only Bangladeshis… The eviction drive was carried out through legal measures and aimed to preserve the political sovereignty and land rights of the Assamese people," the BJP spokesperson added. PTI SSG SSG RG