Barpeta Xatra files FIR against MLA Sherman Ali

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Management Committee of Barpeta Xatra filed an FIR in Barpeta Police Station against suspended Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed today on the charge of instigating the encroachers of xatra land.

Commenting on the development, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the government would act after getting the report from the Xatra Commission on encroachment of xatra lands.

Forty bighas of land of Barpeta Xatra were under encroachment in Baghbor LAC under the Barpeta district. The local administration allotted lands to the 'eligible landless people who encroached upon xatra land' in other areas. The administration and Barpeta Xatra together erected pillars demarcating the xatra land recently.

However, Baghbor MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed visited the area and allegedly dismantled the erected pillars, besides instigating the encroachers telling them that 'nobody can evict them'. The Management Committee of Barpeta Xatra met this morning on the development and filed the FIR against MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed at Barpeta Police Station.

Talking to The Sentinel, Burha Xatriya Basistha Dev Sarma of Barpeta Xatra said, "The statement of MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed has hurt me, and the people of Barpeta. It is not just an insult to us. It's an insult to all people of the state and all xatras. The MLA said that nobody would evict the encroachers. The BJP may rule the state for another term. I will see, if I remain alive till then. We have lodged an FIR against the MLA. We have faith that the law will take its course."

Meanwhile, the BJP Minority Cell of the Barpeta district also filed an FIR against the MLA at Berpeta Police Station.

ASM (Asom Sattra Mahasabha) general secretary Kusum Kumar Mahanta said that they appealed to the Governor to relieve Sherman Ali Ahmed as an MLA for insulting the xatras and taking the side of encroachers. "He dismantled the poles of encroached land erected by the administration. Such a person is not fit to be a legislator," he said.

Talking to the media on the development, the Chief Minister said, "We have already formed the Xatra Commission with MLA Pradip Hazarika as its chairman. The commission will submit a detailed report on the encroachment of xatra land in the state. We will act after getting the report from the commission."

State Revenue and Disaster (R&DM) Minister Jogen Mohan said, "Freeing xatra land from encroachers is the top priority of the government. Barpeta Xatra got 40 bighas of land from the king some 400 years ago."

Meanwhile, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Borah said, "The statement from MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed is his personal, not of the Congress party."

Barpeta Xatra is at Barpeta town, but it has landed property at Baghbor also.

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