Political Overtones in Namapara Land Dispute Turn Violent, 4 Arrested in Kokrajhar district

KOKRAJHAR: Though it was solely a matter involving the land seller, buyer, and renter, the recent backlash between the two parties at Namapara in Fakiragram in Kokrajhar district over a land dispute case is turning into a political issue. The issue is being transferred to the podium of politics by certain quarters to grab political mileage out of this incident. Some of the individuals having political influence are trying to drag the matter on social media sites blaming the ruling council government in BTC.

When this correspondent asked the locals about the underlying reason of the land-related incident, they began playing blame games with each other and dragging the issue to the political platform for their own political gain. The local villagers informed that the clashes between the two groups occurred over the plot of land measuring 3.10 bighas of land at Namapara village which is actually under Chitila police outpost near Dotma. The land is owned by Nikhil Bose of Namapara, and Pabitra Barman, a tenant from the same village, has been cultivating the area under lease for the past nine or ten years. As the land owner Nikhil plans to sell out the land, one Barish Ali of the locality came across and offered Rs. 3.10 lakhs per bigha while tenant Pabitra Barman who has been occupying the land for around 10 years offered Rs. 2 lakhs per bigha. The land owner reportedly decided to sell out the land to Barish Ali who offered a higher rate which became the root cause of a verbal clash between the buyer and tenant. It has also been learned that the local EM of BTC Arup Kr. Dey was notified of the report. When the EM of BTC Dey arrived in Namapara on June 7, the situation between the two families continued to be acrimonious and acrimonious exchange of arguments and counterarguments. One of the provoking groups alleged that the EM played a partial role in the dispute and instead of dousing the flame, his role became like pouring fuel in the already burning fire.

Local people also said the next day of the backlash between the two groups, minister Jayanta Mallahbaruah visited Namapara village in Fakiragram to take stock of the situation. He was accompanied by BTC EM Arup Kr. Dey and Kokrajhar District BJP president Kabita Basumatary. Baruah also visited RN Brahma Civil Hospital to meet the wounded persons where they were shifted for medical treatment. A section of the people alleged that the minister tried to paint a political colour over the issue and made a cross-stitch with Bangladeshi connections.

Later, the media battle over the land dispute is being carried out by the verbal sparring between BTC EM Arup Kr. Dey, ABMSU president Taison Hussain, and other leaders.  The EM cautioned the ABMSU not to further aggravate the situation. They also warned that they will not remain silent over the issue and asked the EM to play an impartial role for solution of the problem amicably without political interference. The local people also said that they never want communal backlash over the issue but an amicable solution and appealed to stop political accusations on the individual issue.

 It may be mentioned that a group clash occurred over land dispute at Namapara village under Fakiragram police station in Kokrajhar district on June 7 which turned violent leaving 11 people injured. Kokrajhar police team has arrested four persons in connection with the incident on Friday night from different places. They are-Barimuddin Sheik (33), Makbal Hussain (40), Javed Ali Sheik (44) and Farash Uddin Sheik (33) while other five accused are absconding.

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