Guwahati, Dec 11: To preserve Assamese culture, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday informed that the state government will enact a law restricting the purchase of land in specific regions of the state.
While addressing a gathering at the Swahid Divas event held in Paschim Boragaon, CM Sarma emphasised the importance of preserving the Assamese culture and how it is the need of the hour for both government and communities to undertake initiatives contributing to the cause.
CM Sarma expressed concerns over how Assamese families sell their land to immigrant Muslims from Bangladesh. He said, “In Lower and Central Assam, many Assamese families have sold their land to immigrant Muslims from Bangladesh after assessing it financially. There is freedom to sell but every piece of land, every tiny speck of land that the Assamese have lost will make us question whether we have the moral right to hand over this sacred land of Assam to those against whom we have agitated just because it is worth a few rupees.”
“I believe that if every Assamese of ours from Dhubri to Nagaon to Barpeta to Morigaon to Nalbari to Bongaigaon to Goalpara to Bakunagar to Chhaygaon is determined that we will never sell our land to a suspected foreigner, I think we will feel a lot safer on our own,” he said.
“I find that many families do not even need money, God has blessed them in many ways, yet every piece of land in Barpeta, Bhawanipur worth a few rupees is sold to suspected foreigners,” he added.
On the occasion of the immortal death and sacrifice of Shaheed Khargeswar Talukdar, CM Sarma urged the citizens of Assam to pledge never to sell their land to suspected foreigners. “In such a way, if every Assamese makes efforts to protect himself, no one can pose an existential threat to us,” he said.
The chief minister informed that a pioneering law will be enacted restricting the purchase of land in specific regions including Majuli, Batadrava and Barpeta among others. The law will ensure that only Assamese individuals can acquire land in these regions.