GUWAHATI: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the celebration of “Diwali of Sorrow” organised by Silsako’s evicted families at Designated Sachar Dharna Ground in Guwahati on Sunday evening.
More than 200 families, who have been evicted from Silsako Beel, organized a unique Diwali celebration in which they lighted lamps demanding adequate compensation and rehabilitation of the affected families without any delay.
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More than 1,000 families, who allegedly encroached on the land of Silsako Beel, have been evicted by Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) in a three-phase eviction drive conducted on May 13, 2022, and February 27, 28, March 1, 2 and September 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this year.
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“A team led by APCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah celebrated Dipawali with the evicted families of Silsako. May the light of Dipawali bring back light into their sorrowful lives & may goddess Kali empower them to keep fighting for their rights,” Assam Congress wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
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“Our fight for the cause of the landless and homes people will continue. Let light come to your families and children,” Bora said.
“People of Assam may not be able to shout out loud in your support but their blessings are with you. They are equally heartbroken as you are and the whole of Assam stands by you in your fight against this injustice and tyranny,” Bora added.
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“At a time when the people of the entire country are celebrating the Diwali with joy, we are celebrating this Diwali of sorrow by lighting the lamps here,” said Gayatri Bori, a leader of Silsako Paror Ussed Pratirudhi Raij.
“We have been living in this piece of land for more than three decades. We have not issued prior notice for the eviction drive. According to the Assam Land Law, 1989 and 2019, a family has to receive land documents from the government if it dwells in a government plot for more than 15 years. But the government has denied the land rights of these indigenous families, even as they have been dwelling there for more than 40 to 50 years,” Bori said.
“Today we seek the blessing of Maa Kali so that she would pour out her wisdom and knowledge to the leaders of our state and remove evil thoughts and rebellious attitudes from their hearts,” Bori also said.
Prominent leaders of the organisation who were present were Indu Bora, Bitumoni Das Begum, Nami Halder and Momina Begum.
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) general secretary Bidyut Saikia and chief organizing secretary Akash Doley were also present at the celebration.