GUWAHATI, June 28 � The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) today reiterated that the unprovoked police actions of bursting teargas shells and indiscriminate baton charging on the peaceful agitators were at the root of the June 22 mayhem at Dispur during the dharna programme organised by it jointly with the Brihattar Guwahati Mati Patta Dabi Samiti.
The KMSS has also demanded formulation and implementation of a �national land policy� to reserve state�s land only for the indigenous people. In support of this demand, the members and supporters of the peasant organisation will hold sit-in demonstrations tomorrow at the district headquarters of the State. It has also announced that it would observe the month of July as the �month for the movement for attaining land rights� and has demanded withdrawal of the decision to effect hike in power tariff.
The peasant organisation alleged that Ruhul Ali and Shiva Kumar Chauhan were shot at from a close range. It also alleged that the incident of killing of Jerina Begum at Lalmati was the result of the plot hatched by the Congress and the State Government to silence the people.
The police actions were sought to be resisted by some of the agitators with the stones, bricks etc., available on the road. The KMSS office-bearers and activists, including one of its working presidents, tried to pacify the restless agitators, the KMSS said in a statement.
It has also refuted the allegation levelled by the authorities that between 170 and 175 vehicles were damaged by its activists that day as a blatant lie. Glasses of only one scooter and about seven other vehicles were damaged that day. It is also a fact that the agitators set a Maruti Van on fire.
But the three city buses and one Gypsy vehicle were burnt down by some miscreants when normalcy returned to the spot and the agitators were resorting to a peaceful road blockade programme after about an hour of the turmoil. Moreover, the site of these cases of arson was also located near the Down Town Hospital, where no agitator was present at that time. The KMSS demanded stern actions against those involved in these cases of arson. But the police did not take any step against those involved in these cases and hence there is scope to doubt that the ruling party got these cases of arson done to tarnish the image of the KMSS, said the peasant organisation.
