On Friday, 13th September, residents of Kosutoli village in Sonapur, Assam, turned away a Congress Party delegation that visited to meet the families of the two people killed during clashes in an eviction drive. The delegation claimed they went to assess the situation and meet local residents. However, upon entering the village, a group of people stopped them from proceeding further. The eviction drive is being conducted to remove illegal encroachments by people from the Muslim community on land designated as Tribal Belt and Block.
Tensions rise as locals oppose Congress visit
The group of locals raised anti-Congress slogans and asked the delegation to leave, forcing the 13-member team to retreat without completing their visit. Congress leader Jakir Hussain Sikdar accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating the opposition they faced, claiming those who blocked their path were aligned with the BJP. He stated, “The Congress is always ready to protect the people of the tribal belt. However, we will not tolerate violence under the guise of land evictions for tribal protection. Those who blocked us are clearly aligned with the BJP.”
Congress leaders voice concerns over removal of illegal encroachments
Congress leader Mira Barthakur said, “We’re not averse to eviction. We just want that the government should issue notices well ahead of eviction drives in accordance with the standing order of the Supreme Court. We wanted to go to the spot to help restore an atmosphere of peace in the area.” Another Congress leader added, “All the evicted persons have Aadhaar cards, ration cards, etc., which are enough to prove their Indian citizenship. Since the government evicted them from the tribal belt, it should have given them rehabilitation somewhere else.”
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says Congress is inciting violence
Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Congress is inciting the village residents, leading to the violence during the eviction drive on 12th September. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that fundamentalists had infiltrated the eviction drive against encroachers in Kosutoli and that slogans used in Bangladesh were echoed by the residents. During the clashes between security forces and residents, two people were killed and several others were injured.
CM Sarma said, “Congress and other fundamentalist forces instigated the encroachers. They attacked the police. The slogan that was being used in Bangladesh; they are using the same slogan here now. After the action of Assam Police, the area has become peaceful again and the eviction work is going on.”
DGP explained the situation in Assam
On 13th September, Director General of Police GP Singh visited the village in question. He pointed out that recent study of the land in the area revealed some unauthorised construction was happening. It was being done by the outsiders who were trying to move into the area. These people did not belong to the protected class. He said, “The government had issued a direction for an eviction drive. The drive followed seven days of announcements in the area. People were told they were illegally occupying government land. Until Wednesday, 151 families were evicted, and 240 bighas of land were cleared.”
However, on 12th September, a section of the people targeted police and attacked police vehicles. The police used force to disperse them leading to death of two individuals. 22 police personnel were also injured in the clashes. The DGP said, “I have a feeling that there was a conspiracy. I suspect that people were instigated.”
Following the violence, locals themselves protested against the encroachments and demanded the encroachers should be removed as soon as possible.
He further stated, “We are running a special campaign against the encroachers who have illegally occupied the land of the tribals in Sonapur, Assam. Yesterday, the Congress held a press conference and expressed sympathy for the intruders, after which the same intruders attacked the police.”
Notably, locals have accused some “brokers” of bringing people from the minority community to settle on land under ‘Tribal Block and Belt’. They have urged the government to identify these brokers and bring them to justice.
