Our next agenda is freeing land from Matabbors: Assam CM

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the Assembly that freeing the Sar lands under the occupation of the 'matabbors' will be the next agenda of his government.

The CM said this during the 'cut motion' on the Revenue & Disaster Management Department for the supplementary budget for the year 2023-24.

The Chief Minister said, "I am greatly concerned about the land in the sar areas. We conducted an eviction drive in Orang a few months ago, and we tried to rehabilitate them in the Lahorighat area of Morigaon district. I had discussed the issue of their rehabilitation with the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU), but later I was informed by the DC that around 2,000 bigha land in the sars are illegally occupied by the matabbors. These people have political protection, and if any poor Muslim people go to live in the sars, they are chased away by the matabbors. I have no issue with granting land allotment in sar areas, but first, we have to clear the land from the grip of the matabbors. So, our next agenda will be to free the lands in sar areas from these people. These matabbors marry two to three women. If we can free the land from their grip, we can not only be able to provide land allotment to poor Muslim people, but we will even have surplus land in our hands."

Another Mission Basundhara is being planned, and the government intends to provide land to poor farmers after freeing Sar areas from these matabbors, the CM added.

During the discussions in the cut motion, some opposition MLAs alleged that many people have been deprived of land allotment during Mission Basundhara 2.0. In reply to the allegations, the CM said, "Mission Basundhara 2.0 was not only intended to provide land to landless people. The criterion was that the applicant should be landless as well as indigenous. Landless people can be allotted land on the recommendation of the sub-divisional land advisory committee at any point in time by the DCs. The opposition had been harbouring the wrong concept. We had observed that tribal people, as well as people from the Ahom Moran, Muttock, Sootea communities, and the SCs, did not have land patta. As per recorded history, these people had come to Assam more than one thousand years ago. So, the primary aim of Mission Basundhara was to provide land rights to indigenous people. That is why we had another criteria: the applicant should be a third-generation person residing in Assam. Mission Basundhara is not for those who came to Assam in 1931, 1951, and 1971. Migrated Muslims are not qualified for Mission Basundhara 2.0. Even Marwaris, Biharis, and people originally from other states do not qualify for land under Mission Basundhara 2.0. It is only applicable to aboriginal people, and the definition of indigenous people all over the world is aboriginal people. Red Indians in America are said to be aboriginal people. In Assam, the Moran, Muttock, and Sootea are aboriginal, not us. We are citizens, but not indigenous people."

He further stated that it would be wrong to say that land would not be allotted to Muslims. "They can apply through the sub-divisional land advisory committee. I am happy that land pattas will be provided under Mission Basundhara 2.0 from February 16, and of those found eligible, 40% are tribal people."

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