Reported by Manoj Kumar Ojha
Doomdooma: Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi on Sunday launched a strong attack on the Assam government over the reported land survey and possible eviction plans linked to the proposed Tata township project at Jagiroad, warning against the displacement of indigenous Tiwa and other local communities.
In a statement issued on Sunday evening, Gogoi appealed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma not to commit what he termed a “grave historical mistake” by evicting indigenous residents from Sindhisar and nearby areas for the township project.
He alleged that the land earlier used for the now-defunct Nagaon Paper Mill had originally belonged to tribal and indigenous communities and criticised the government for handing it over to the Tata Group for industrial development.
The Raijor Dal leader claimed that although a large portion of land within the Jagiroad paper mill premises remains unused, fresh surveys are reportedly being carried out in areas inhabited by Tiwa and other indigenous families.
According to him, the development has triggered deep resentment among local residents, particularly within the Tiwa community, who fear displacement from their ancestral land.
Describing the alleged eviction plan as “inhuman”, “illegal”, and “an insult to indigenous people”, Gogoi said the concerns raised by the Tiwa community were entirely justified.
He asserted that the issue was rapidly turning into a matter of wider concern among indigenous Assamese people and warned that public anger was steadily intensifying.
“We are closely watching the protests of the Tiwa people. Thousands of indigenous Assamese are becoming increasingly agitated over the government’s actions,” Gogoi stated while urging the government to prevent the situation from escalating further.
He demanded that the Assam government immediately issue an official statement clarifying that no eviction or forcible land acquisition would take place in Jagiroad.
Gogoi also called upon the government to initiate direct discussions with local residents and reassure them that their land and homes would remain protected.
The Sivasagar MLA further said that the demand to halt the proposed eviction and land acquisition process was not limited to the Tiwa community alone but was also the official stand of Raijor Dal.
He warned that if the government failed to withdraw the alleged plan, his party would join the people of Jagiroad in launching a democratic mass movement.
The controversy surrounding the proposed Tata-linked industrial and township expansion at Jagiroad has increasingly drawn political attention in Assam, with concerns over land rights, rehabilitation, and the protection of indigenous communities emerging as a major flashpoint.