Assam Assembly Passes Bill To Prohibit Transfer Of Land Near Iconic Institutions, Xatras

GUWAHATI: From now onwards, no outsiders will be able to buy land within a 5-km radius of iconic heritage institutions that are at least 250 years old, including Batadrawa Than, Barpeta Satra, etc.

For this purpose, the Assam Legislative Assembly passed a bill named The Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024. With the passing of this bill, Chapter XII will be included in the parent act, Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886. The newly inserted Chapter XII will now protect land near the iconic structures of the state in the future.

On the fourth day of the Autumn Session on Thursday, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan placed the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (second Amendment) Bill, 2024, for the consideration of the House.

During the debate on the bill, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "When Gopinath Bordoloi was the chief minister of Assam, Chapter X was inserted in the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886. At that time, the state revenue minister was Bishnuram Medhi. Through the insertion of Chapter X, tribal belts and blocks were created in Assam so that non-protected classes of people could not settle in tribal areas. The chapter was inserted as challenges were posed to the land of the tribal people. As the tribal belts and blocks are already notified, the government can remove non-protected classes of people from these areas at any time. Of late, we have also widened the bandwidth of 'protected class' by including six indigenous communities of the state including the Gorkhas. Today will be marked as a historic day for the Assam Assembly as the new Chapter XII has been inserted in the original Act of 1886. From now on, no outsider can purchase land within a radius of five km of iconic structures that are at least 250 years old. If any outsiders are already settled for three generations, they can buy and sell land in the protected area. Today's bill is apolitical and secular. A 250-year-old iconic structure may be a temple, xatra, masjid, or church. There is no Hindu or Muslim as per the new provision. I also cannot purchase land near the Barpeta Satra now. The new provision has been added to the Act, as heritage institutions like Batadrawa Than, Barpeta Satra, Rangghar, Kareng Ghar, Talatal Ghar, Charaideo Maidam, and others have to be saved from outsiders."

"The government is planning to create new micro tribal belts and blocks where substantial numbers of ST and SC populations reside. For this purpose, the Assam government has already constituted a cabinet sub-committee. The proposed initiative will protect the land of the indigenous people. Another plan is to allow only inter-community land transfer in undivided Goalpara district. The proposal is to permit only SCs to sell land to SCs only, STs to sell or buy land only from STs, and OBCs to buy and sell land only from OBCs. Assamese people are having to struggle to survive, and these provisions are aimed at securing the future of the Assamese people. Till my last breath, I will fight for the jati, mati, and bheti of the Assamese people," the Assam CM further added.

During his speech, the CM also spoke of a new law to protect the land of 'xatra nagari' Majuli, and new legislation will be introduced for this purpose in the next session of the Assembly.

The Chief Minister's reply invited the ire of the Congress, and they staged a walkout from the House. Several AIUDF MLAs also opposed a few statements of the CM. Several MLAs from the ruling as well as opposition parties took part in the debate.

The participants of the debate included the likes of LOP Debabrata Saikia, Bharat Narah, Bhuban Gam, Bhuban Pegu, Manoranjan Talukdar, Pradip Hazarika, Diganta Barman, Luis Islari, Rupjyoti Kurmi, Kamalakshya Dey Purkayashtha, Rafikul Islam, etc.

ALSO READ: CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma visits Barpeta Xatra (sentinelassam.com)

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