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Eviction of Adivasis condemned

By Correspondent

UDALGURI, Nov 7 � The Udalguri district committee of the All Adivasi Students� Association of Assam (AASAA) has condemned the eviction drive of many families belonging to the Adivasi community from the Lungsing forest area in Kokrajhar district by way of setting afire and destroying their household properties, recently, this was stated in a press release issued by Pradip Nag, president of the students� organisation of Udalguri district committee.

The AASAA press note also came down heavily on the Adivasi leaders, ministers, MPs and MLAs like Prithivi Majhi, Joseph Toppo, Paban Singh Ghatowar, Bhimananda Tanti, Etowa Munda, Jibantara Ghatowar and Silvious Condpan saying that they remained silent spectators during the preplanned tragedy of the Adivasis created jointly by the State and the BTC governments. Hammering the Adivasi politicians of the State, the press note further said that while Babulal Marandi, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand found time to stand by the helpless and stranded Adivasi people in Kokrajhar, the Adivasi leaders of the State neither spoke nor got time to visit the people in their distress. �But they find enough time to go near those distressed people only when the elections are round the corner to assure them with false promises�, the press note observed. The AASAA also demanded the resignations of all these Adivasi leaders and to seek fresh mandate if they had courage to do so.

The students� body also warned both the State government and the BTC authority to release the persons apprehended during the eviction drive without any precondition and to rehabilitate the affected families at the earliest.

Meanwhile, it is observed that the eviction of the Adivasi villagers from the forest area will have a far reaching impact in the forthcoming Assembly elections in the State which might trouble the Adivasi politicians in particular to a great extent.

Diwali celebrated: The people of Udalguri district celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights with all merrymaking. People from every walk of life irrespective of caste, creed and religion were seen wishing Diwali greetings to each other while many shared joy with sweets and Diwali gifts. People also offered puja to Laxmi, the goddess of prosperity along with Lord Ganesha on the occasion.

The Udalguri district administration took all possible steps to check untoward incidents during the festival by deploying security forces elsewhere in the district to make people free to enjoy the festival of lights.

Ramailo Tihar celebrated: Meanwhile, the Nepali speaking Gorkha community of the district along with other parts of the State started celebrating the five-day-long Ramailo Tihar festival by lighting earthen lamps in and around their households since November 3 last which will come to end on November 6 with �Bhai Tika�or Bhatri Dwitya which is very much special symbolising the bond of love between brother and sisters and playing and singing traditional Deushi and Bhaili like Bihu Husori in the villages blessing the villagers for prosperity and happiness.

Asom Nepali Sahitya Sabha, a premier literary organisation of the State, Assam Gorkha Sammelan, Assam State committee of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh and All Assam Gorkha Students� Union (AAGSU) in their separate press notes also wished for the prosperity of the people of Assam on the occasion of Dipawali and Ramailo Tihar.

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