Guwahati, Sept 14: The Congress on Saturday alleged that a party delegation was prevented by BJP members, “posing as members of certain organizations”, from visiting the eviction site at Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati where two persons were killed in police firing two days ago.
Opposition parties also decried the police firing incident, alleging failure of law and order situation in the state, while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that the government will take ‘strong action’ to protect the interests of the tribal population.
A drive in Kochutoli village to evict Bengali-speaking Muslim villagers had turned violent on Thursday when a section of encroachers allegedly attacked the officials carrying out the exercise with sharp weapons and stones.
Police opened fire to disperse the mob, resulting in the death of two protestors. In the clash, 33 people, including 22 police personnel, were injured, Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh had said later.
There were about 300 families of illegal settlers and since the drive began 151 families were evicted and 248 bighas of land have been cleared, he added.
Several Congress MLAs and leaders had gone to the village under Sonapur revenue circle of Kamrup Metropolitan district to meet the locals on Saturday, but a group of people stopped their vehicles before reaching the site.
They disembarked from the cars and tried to walk to the site, but a section of local people did not allow that too, a Congress leader said.
Congress’ state working president and MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar tried to reason with the locals and said the delegation came to listen to all sides.
Talking to reporters near the site, he said, “As people’s representatives, we will raise all genuine concerns of the people. But at the same time, police shooting people dead and evicting people without notice cannot be tolerated. Those who attacked the police must also face action.”
“We want a peaceful Assam. There is no law and order in the state anymore,” Hussain asserted.
The delegation returned from the area and visited the injured admitted at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital to enquire about their condition.
Addressing a press conference here later, Hussain affirmed that the Congress does not support encroachment and that illegal settlers should be evicted, but it should be carried out in accordance with the guidelines laid down by courts with provision for rehabilitation.
“But the government is not doing that. People were killed, police personnel injured. How did such a situation emerge? We are going to analyse that so that we can submit a report to the party and government for reinstating peace in the area.
“But a section of BJP members, posing as members of some organizations, prevented us. They verbally abused us, even tried to physically intimidate us,” Hussain claimed, alleging that no security arrangement was made for the delegation.
The MLA added that the Congress is likely to pursue the matter with the governor.
Leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia has also written to Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary to constitute an all-party delegation, led by the Speaker, to visit Kochutoli and take stock of the situation.
An AIUDF delegation called on the DGP and raised concerns about the safety and welfare of the persons evicted from the area.
“We have information that there are injured people in the village. The evicted people are living under the open sky by the riverside. We are concerned about their condition and wanted to check it.
“But our delegation was prevented from visiting the area on Friday and we have raised our concerns before the DGP,” legislator Aminul Islam said.
Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi alleged that the Kochutoli eviction was being carried out to divert people’s attention from other burning issues of the state.
He also claimed that members of only a particular community are being evicted from the area.
“The BJP has been in power here for the last eight years. Why the eviction drive is being done only now? It is to try and create communal tension to hide their government’s failures.”
Citizens’ forum, Assam Civil Society, has also expressed shock at the killing of two persons in the eviction drive.
Stating that while eviction drives can be carried out, president and Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan and general secretary Paresh Malakar said it must be within legal framework.
“It is a serious failure on the part of the police not to try out various other means like using batons, tear gas or rubber bullets to bring the situation under control instead of resorting to firing directly,” they maintained.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sarma asserted that the government was committed to protect the interests of the tribal communities.
“Presence of illegal immigrants in Sonapur tribal belt and block pose a great threat to tribal identity, culture, landscape,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here.
“We are taking strong action to protect the land and culture of the tribal communities,” he added.
Eviction operation in the area has been put on hold following Thursday’s violence, an official source said. (PTI)
