DIBRUGARH, July 2 - At least 22 student and youth organisations of the State today expressed their �strongest opposition� to the reported land regulation/ordinance, by which agricultural lands will be automatically converted to commercial categories for any business use. Stating this, the president of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Parishad (AJYP), Udayan Gogoi told this newspaper today that he and his colleagues in other organisations all prefer full reservation of the State�s land exclusively for the natives. The native leaders said if agricultural lands are to be handed over to business, it would be the �greatest blunder on the people of the state.�
Along with Gogoi, prominent youth leaders like Arunjyoti Moran (president, All Moran Students� Union), Dharani Gohain (secretary, All Assam Muttuck Yuva Chatra Sanmilan), Ratan Kachari (president, All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students� Union), Mohen Bora (secretary, All Assam Chutia Students� Union), Pranjal Deuri (president, All Assam Deuri Students� Union), Stephen Lakra (president, All Assam Adivasi Students� Association), Arabinda Nath (president, All Assam Nath Jogi Students� Union), Hafizul Ahmed (president, All Assam Goria Moria Desi Jatiya Parishad), Sanjib Kumar Hajong (president, All Assam Hajong Students� Union), Nabin Johrisa (president, All Dimasa Students� Union), Jayanta Das (president, Sadau Asom Kaiborta Yuva Chatra Sanmilan), Subir Mech (secretary, Mech Kachari Jatiya Parishad), Dipjyoti Sarania (secretary, All Assam Sarania Kachari Students� Union), Roseline Gogoi Saikia (president, Jatiyatabadi Mahila Parishad, Asom), Dhiraj Gowala (president, All Assam Tea Tribes Students� Association), Mungsa Ratneswar Deuri (president, Tiwa Yuva Chatra Parishad), Keshab Thengal (president, All Assam Thengal Kachari Students� Union), Nripen Khanikar (secretary, Sadau Chutia Jati Yuva Sanmilan, Asom), Atul Roy (president, Koch Rajbongshi Sangram Samiti) and Mintu Hembrom (president, Sadau Sauntal Chatra Santha) came down heavily on the Assam government, for coming up with such a regulation. They all stated in a joint statement that this government which got elected on the promise of safeguarding the natives� rights, �is now doing exactly the opposite.� They termed the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government of resorting to lies and falsehoods and hoodwinking the native population with obnoxious proposals.
Gogoi said all the native organisations of Assam demand that land reservations for the locals of Assam should be implemented as is being done in neighbouring States like Manipur, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. They demanded that appropriate laws should be immediately enacted and called for immediate quashing of the proposal to make agricultural lands available to businessmen.
The native community leaders said the present Assam government has shown its inclination towards illegal foreigners by espousing the Citizenship Amendment Act, which resulted in chaos in Assam in December last year. At least five youths of the State died (killed?) during those heady agitation days. More than six months after their unnatural deaths, none of these cases have been resolved by the law-enforcing agencies. They also blamed the State government of turning a blind eye to serious allegations of corruption, illegal coal trade, timber smuggling and spiralling and unchecked price rise of all commodities.
The leaders also pointed out to the government�s silence on implementation of Clause VI of the Assam Accord, and alleged that the present ruling party leaders are trying every trick to wriggle out of the situation. �We won�t allow these issue to keep lingering. If the government compels us, we would be left with no option but to take to agitations,� Gogoi said.