Guwahati: On Friday, 13th September, a Congress Party delegation faced resistance from residents of Kosutoli village in Sonapur, Assam, when they attempted to meet families affected by clashes during an ongoing eviction drive. The delegation, which aimed to assess the situation and engage with local residents, was stopped by a group of villagers who raised anti-Congress slogans and demanded their departure. Consequently, the 13-member team had to retreat without completing their visit.
The eviction drive targets illegal encroachments by the Muslim community on land designated as Tribal Belt and Block. Congress leader Jakir Hussain Sikdar accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating the opposition, claiming that those blocking their path were aligned with the BJP. Sikdar asserted, “The Congress is always ready to protect the people of the tribal belt. However, we will not tolerate violence under the guise of land evictions for tribal protection. Those who blocked us are clearly aligned with the BJP.”
Congress leader Mira Barthakur stated, “We’re not averse to eviction. We just want the government to issue notices well ahead of eviction drives in accordance with the Supreme Court’s standing order. We wanted to visit the area to help restore peace.” Another Congress leader added, “All the evicted persons have Aadhaar cards, ration cards, etc., which are enough to prove their Indian citizenship. Since they were evicted from the tribal belt, the government should have provided rehabilitation elsewhere.”
Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused the Congress of inciting violence during the eviction drive on 12th September. CM Sarma claimed that fundamentalists had infiltrated the eviction process and that slogans used in Bangladesh were echoed by the residents. The clashes between security forces and residents resulted in two deaths and several injuries.
CM Sarma stated, “Congress and other fundamentalist forces instigated the encroachers. They attacked the police. The slogans used here are the same as those used in Bangladesh. After the Assam Police's action, the area has returned to peace, and the eviction work continues.”
On the same day, Director General of Police GP Singh visited the village and reported unauthorized construction by outsiders who did not belong to the protected class. He explained that the government had issued a direction for the eviction drive following seven days of announcements. By Wednesday, 151 families had been evicted, and 240 bighas of land had been cleared.
DGP Singh noted that a section of the residents targeted police and attacked vehicles on 12th September, leading to police using force, which resulted in two deaths and 22 police personnel being injured. He suspected a conspiracy and claimed that the intruders were instigated. Following the violence, locals protested against the encroachments and demanded immediate removal of the encroachers.
The DGP also highlighted a special campaign against encroachers in Sonapur, Assam. He criticized the Congress for expressing sympathy for the intruders, who then attacked the police. Locals have accused “brokers” of bringing minority community members to settle on land under ‘Tribal Block and Belt’ and have urged the government to identify and prosecute these brokers.
Punjab Police Crack Down on 25 Travel Agencies for Fraudulent Overseas Job Schemes
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Urges ULFA(I) to Avoid Actions That Harm State's Future
Rising Water Levels in Saryu River and Ganga Cause Disruption Amid Floods in Uttar Pradesh