OUR CORRESPONDENT
KOKRAJHAR: Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha (BJSM) on Friday urged the Government of Assam to evict all illegal settlers in tribal belts and blocks across Assam as per the orders of the Gauhati High Court.
Talking to The Sentinel, the working president of BJSM DD Narzary said they welcomed the move of Assam government to carry out eviction drive against the illegal encroachers in Sonapur tribal belt recently but they are not fully satisfied with the eviction targeting only a community. He said the eviction in Sonapur was only against the Muslim illegal settlers in tribal belt but other non tribal illegal encroachers are left untouched. “There are hundreds of non-Muslim illegal encroachers in Sonapur, South Kamrup and Guwahati tribal belts but there has been no initiative from the government of Assam to evict them. Many non-Muslim illegal settlers in Guwahati tribal belt have constructed high rise buildings, established business centres but Chief Minister Sarma has no moral will to evict them,” he said adding that the eviction of Muslim illegal encroachers in Sonapur was not for clearing encroached tribal lands but based on self centric move because the government will not hand it over back to tribal people. He also said if the government’s move was holistic to secure tribal lands from illegal occupation, the government should hand over all secured lands to tribal people but Sarma’s outlook is also taking over the land of tribal people to expand Guwahati city.
Narzary said many innocent tribal people were evicted from hilly areas of Guwahati in the recent past although they have been living in Guwahati tribal belt but the same Chief Minister has lack of ability to initiate eviction drive against the non-Muslim illegal encroachers for the reason best known to him. He said Sarma focused on giving shelter to Hindu Bangladeshis in the state but he must remember that by giving space to them Assam will not get any benefit for formation of greater Assamese society or socio-economic development other than shouldering troublesome in every respect.
The BJSM has dared CM Sarma that he should carry out the eviction drive with broader sense beyond limiting to only to a particular community. Narzary called upon him to come clear on eviction drive and start the eviction drive in all 47 tribal belts and blocks including BTC based on the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886 and ammended in 1949. Saying that they have been working against the illegal encroachment issue in tribal belts and blocks, since 2009, the BJSM will raise the issue until the protected tribal lands are re-secured from illegal encroachments. He further said the Gauhati High Court had already issued order in 2019 to clear all tribal belts and blocks from illegal encroachers which is waiting action from the government of Assam and BTC.
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