SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: It has been a long awaited action. And when the action followed, it came as a 'surgical strike.' In fact, during the two day Barak visit of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, media and public complaints reached him against land settlement office about rampant corrupt practices. In it are involved land mafia, a section of lawyers and employees of the department. Some victims of this racket fought back to claim their right over the land that was illegally transferred in the name of another persons. Some unable to fight their lost land forever. And thus the racket continued.
Barak democratic front has hailed the bold steps of the Chief Minister and described him as the beacon of hope for common people. Its chief convener Pradip Dutta Roy urges him 'not to spare the big guns.' This will put spike in the ongoing wheel of action. Dutta Roy said land grabbing has been a common affair in this valley with the tacit support of politicians and officials during the previous non BJP governments. To put the identified and listed 700 land mafia behind the bar will not be a solution.
At a meeting of the BDF members, Pradip Dutta Roy pointed his finger at an officer attached with the land settlement and municipal board. General perception is that behind the illegal land deals, the tacit support of the officer can't be ruled out. Moreover, the officer concerned has been working in the valley for the last two decades. Allegations of corruption have often been raised but without any effect.
BDF Chief also names a top BJP leader and his two cohorts who are reported to be involved in land grabbing of simple villagers in extreme eastern part of Cachar. He expects the Chief Minister to be firm against those racketeers in land who are still escaping or evading arrest. Unless they are caged, the very objective of breaking the backbone of land mafia will be frustrated, Pradip Dutta Roy said. As of now, a hushed silence prevails in and around the land settlement office. So far 24 mafia and dalals have been taken into custody by police in Cachar and Hailakandi. No arrest has been reported from Karimganj.
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