Illegal migrants grabbing Xatra land

Xatradhikars getting death threats as Dispur looks the other way

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, July 10: Thousands of bighas of xatra land is under encroachment and the government has done little to free those tracts, the Satra Dewalay Surakha Aru Bhumi Bedakhal Mukti Sangram Samity said today, warning that the xatra culture would be wiped out from the State in near future if nothing is done.

The Samity's general secretary Kusum Kumar Mahanta said that it was because of the inertia of the Congress-led government of the State in the last 14 years that thousands of bighas of xatra land has been usurped. "The government has failed to clear even one katha of land," he said.

"Some 7,000 bighas of land of 32 xatras are under encroachment. We have conducted a survey in 26 xatras and found that around 5,448 bighas of land in these sites are under illegal occupation. Most of the encroachers are suspected illegal migrants," Mahanta said.

He pointed out that ubated encroachment and the State government's iction have led to frequent incidents of theft and robbery in the mosteries.

"Even Xatradhikars are getting death threats. Recently, the Xatradhikar of Borduwa ruwa received both verbal and written threats to quit the xatra. A similar incident was reported at the Adi Elengi Xatra of Lakhimpur," he said.

According to Mahanta, illegal migrants, who have encroached upon many areas of the State are now eyeing vacant Xatra lands for settling down.

"It is high time the government initiates some action. Or else, the Xatra culture will be wiped out from the State," the Samity cautioned.