Guwahati: The Bhumi Adhikar Joutha Sangram Samiti (Joint Action Committee for Land Rights) on Sunday condemned the arrest of indigenous and land rights activist Pranab Doley, alleging that the Assam government is targeting leaders spearheading land rights movements across the state.
In a statement, the committee demanded Doley’s immediate release and called on the government to put an end to what it described as a crackdown on democratic protests and public rights movements.
The statement was issued by the committee’s advisor Shantanu Borthakur and conveners Gobinda Rabha, Krishna Gogoi and Subrata Talukdar.
The committee alleged that Doley, who serves as convener of the Bhumi Adhikar Joutha Sangram Samity and the Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee (GKLHRPC) , was arrested because of his role in leading campaigns to protect the land rights of local communities.
It also referred to the recent arrest of Adit Chandra Rabha, advisor to the Barduar Bagan Bhumi Pattan Dabi Samiti and spokesperson of the Nikhil Rabha Jatiya Parishad, claiming that both arrests reflect a pattern of action against leaders associated with Assam’s land rights movement.
“The only crime of Pranab Doley was that he joined the struggle to protect the land of 45 Adivasi families in Kaziranga and campaigned against large corporations,” the committee said.
The committee further alleged that corporate interests are gaining ground with the support of the state government and claimed that land rights activists are being targeted for opposing such projects.
Condemning what it described as “repressive actions” by the government, the committee demanded Doley’s immediate release and urged the Assam government to stop what it called harassment of leaders associated with land rights movements and democratic voices of dissent.