Candlelight protest by Silsako evictees in Sasal, demand land-for-land compensation
Silsako evictees staged a late-night candlelight protest demanding land-for-land compensation and resettlement.
Silsako evictees taking a candlelight protest
Guwahati, August 10: Hundreds of protesters gathered for a candlelight demonstration in Sasal on Saturday night, voicing strong opposition to the Silsako eviction and demanding land-for-land compensation.
The protest site was charged with emotion, as locals lit candles and attempted to march towards Dispur. Police intervened, blocking their movement. Demonstrators said the protest symbolised the burning anger in their hearts after three years of what they call government negligence.
The evicted residents claim they have been rendered homeless and landless since the Silsako eviction drive, and despite repeated protests, no concrete rehabilitation measures have been offered.
Protesters questioned why alternative resettlement arrangements were made for evicted people in Kaziranga, Garukhuti, and Goalpara, but none for the Silsako area.
“We have been holding peaceful protests for three years, but the government remains deaf to our pleas. Instead, it’s ready to provide settlement to 70 lakh Hindu Bangladeshis. We are indigenous Assamese, part of this land, why are we being denied what is rightfully ours?” said one protester.
“If big corporates like Adani, Ramdev, and Ambani can get land in Assam, why can’t we? This is the sad reality under the Himanta Biswa Sarma government. We refuse to carry the burden of Bangladeshis while our own people suffer without homes,” another agitated protester stated.
“The flame of these candles is the fire in our hearts. It will never go out until justice is served. Before the 2026 elections, if we are not given land and fair compensation, this fire will turn into something much bigger,” warned a protest leader.
The demonstrators also criticised the government’s priorities, accusing it of acting as an “agent of Bangladesh” and neglecting the welfare of indigenous communities.
The protest concluded late at night, but organisers vowed to continue their agitation until their demands for adequate resettlement and compensation are met.