Guwahati: A citizens’ meeting convened by organisations working on land rights and issues facing Assam’s indigenous communities on Thursday demanded the immediate release of activists arrested over protests against development projects and announced a statewide protest on July 26.
The meeting, held at Lakhiram Barua Sadan in Guwahati, was jointly organised by the Bhumi Adhikar Joutha Sangram Samiti (Joint Action Committee for Land Rights), Nikhil Rabha Jatiya Parishad (NRJA), All Tiwa Students’ Association (ATSA) and the United Tribal Co-ordination Forum, Assam. Representatives of political parties, civil society organisations and prominent citizens attended the programme.
The participants condemned the arrests of Bhumi Adhikar Joutha Sangram Samiti convenor Pranab Doley, Borduar Bagicha Bhumi Potton Dabi Samiti adviser Adit Chandra Rabha, and activists Amit Nag, Bijit Kutum, Bhaskar Saikia and Rajeev Pegu, alleging that the action was aimed at suppressing democratic protests over land rights and rights of indigenous people.
The meeting was presided over by senior High Court advocate Santanu Borthakur, Nikhil Rabha Jatiya Parishad president Babul Chandra Rabha, ATSA president Biman Machreng and United Tribal Co-ordination Forum convenor Litsong Rongphar. Bhumi Adhikar Joutha Sangram Samiti convenor Subrata Talukdar outlined the objectives of the gathering.
Representatives of the organising bodies from Rabha Hasong, Jagiroad, Ukiam and Kaziranga attended the meeting along with leaders from several political parties and organisations. Among them were Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, Congress leader Mehdi Alam Bora, APHLC leader Bikram Hanse, CPI(ML) leader Vivek Das, CPI(M) leader Isfaqur Rahman, CPI leader Jayanta Gogoi and CPI(ML) leader Harakumar Goswami.
A written message from senior journalist and former Rajya Sabha member Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, who could not attend because of ill health, was read out during the meeting.
The participants alleged that the government was attempting to transfer land belonging to indigenous and tribal communities to corporate interests. They also claimed that the arrested activists had been targeted for opposing such projects and defending the land rights of local communities.
The meeting resolved to organise democratic protests across Assam on July 26 demanding the release of the arrested activists. It also decided to send a joint delegation of representatives from various political parties and organisations to Ingle Pathar in Kaziranga.
The organisers appealed to the public to support the campaign for the release of the arrested activists and participate in the proposed statewide protests.