A day after Assam government began a major eviction drive near Batadrava Than in Nagaon district, in what it calls is a move to free the birthplace of Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva, Opposition legislators staged a walkout in the Assembly in protest and and demanded that the government ensure the evicted families get alternate pieces of land.
While Opposition AIUDF alleged that the “inhuman” eviction drive targetted people from the minority community, state ministers and top district administration officers denied this and said it was carried out peacefully, with no resistance from residents.
A Congress and an AIUDF delegation. Meanwhile, left for Batadrava to take stock of the situation. According to administration, the eviction drive has been undertaken to clear “encroachment” over 1,000 bigha land around Batadrava Than.
On Tuesday, the first day of the five-day winter session, AIUDF MLAs moved an adjournment motion to discuss the eviction move. Speaker Biswajit Daimary rejected the motion and said while he is not against the drive, it can be discussed in some other way instead of adjourning business of the House.
In protest, AIUDF legislators went to the Well of the House, shouted slogans and sought rehabilitation of those evicted. As BJP members joined the verbal duel by countering AIUDF slogans, Opposition MLAs from Congress, AIUDF and Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi walked out.
Leader of Opposition, Congress’s Debabrata Saikia, said: “These people were based there for more than 30 or 40 years. They are Indian citizens and the government policy for landless people is that they must be provided alternative land…”
AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam claimed that most families evicted were Muslims and alleged that the BJP-led state government is trying to polarise people for electoral gains. “This is a barbaric and inhuman move,” he said and indicated that the party may soon seek legal recourse.
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State minister Ashok Singhal denied that any particular community was targetted and said the “holy birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva was freed” from encroachment. “Evicting encroachers is our dharma and duty,” he added.
Maintaining that it went off “peacefully”, Nagaon DC, Narendra Shah said contrary to how the eviction process “is being portrayed”, both Hindu and Muslim religious sites were removed from encroached area. “There were two mandirs and two mosques — all temporary structures — and we removed them,” Shah said.
Nagaon Superintendent of Police Leena Doley said there was no resistance from local residents and the eviction process went off peacefully.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
