Editorial Comments
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Darrang (Assam) – The Police squad that had gone to take action against encroachments at Dhaulpur in Darrang District was attacked by thousands of religious fanatic agitators. The Police had to fire at them in self-defence. Two religious fanatics died in this firing. In this violence, 9 Policemen were seriously injured. It is said that many of the attackers were armed.
Who will speak for the Human rights of these 11 on duty @assampolice officers , who was seriously injured by suspected Bangladeshi encroachers, when they were on duty yesterday in Gorukhuti to evict encroachers frm Govt land. Human right for illegal Bangladeshi but not for them ? https://t.co/90PX1HRNRL pic.twitter.com/DadANkytSc
— Oxomiya Jiyori 🇮🇳 (@SouleFacts) September 24, 2021
Around 800 families, which became homeless due to the demolition of unauthorised structures, started agitating for their rehabilitation. During the agitation they became aggressive and started pelting stones at the Policemen. They even had arms when the Police started firing in self-defence.
Police started firing in self-defence : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
State Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the armed demonstrators attacked the Police with sharp weapons and stones, therefore, the Police had to start firing in self-defence. Despite this incident, the removal of encroachments will go on. So far, 602 hectares of land has been freed of the encroachments. (Why were the rulers and Policemen so indifferent and inactive against the encroachers earlier, but let the problem aggravate ? – Editor)
Rahul Gandhi criticises action
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has tweeted on this incident and said – ‘Assam is currently singeing in the sponsored fires. I support the brothers and sisters of Assam’. (It is only due to the support of the Congress party and Gandhi family that religious fanatics have encroached and spread. – Editor)
Encroachment on 30,000 acres of land
According to sources, 30,000 acres of land has been occupied through encroachments. There is a 5,000-years-old Shiva Temple and cave on this land. Most people who encroached on this land are religious fanatics. The Government gave instructions to the Administration to remove all encroachments and free the land. The religious fanatics have claimed that the Government had promised to rehabilitate the people while removing the encroachments.
Updates
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on 23rd September claimed the Popular Front of India (PFI) was involved in violence during an eviction drive in Darrang District. “The State Government has sent a dossier to the Centre seeking a total ban on the PFI and we are also doing whatever needs to be done against the outfit”, he said.
The CM asserted that he wants to give a ‘clear message that Assam cannot be cowed down. We have orders from the Gauhati High Court on several occasions to evict people from forests and other encroached areas. You cannot occupy large tracts belonging to indigenous people’.