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People�s forum sets deadline to free Govt land from illegal aliens

By CORRESPONDENT

MANGALDAI, June 19 - A united forum of 18 non-political public bodies, including Prabrajon Birodhi Mancha, Asom, Sangrami Satirtha Sanmilan, Darrang, Dakhsin Mangaldai Gowala Santha and Jatiya Nagarik Mancha, Darrang, etc have demanded eviction of all illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from the Government PGR, VGR land measuring more than 77,000 bighas located at villages, namely Phuhuratoli, Dholpur, Kuruwa, Kholihoi, Baznapathar under Sipajhar revenue circle of Darrang district before July 15.

Addressing the media at Mangaldai Press Club on Saturday afternoon, Rameswar Sarma and Mukut Saikia, convenors of the united forum placed this appeal before the Government and resolved to undertake a series of democratic agitations if the Government fails to fulfil their demand within the stipulated timeframe.

Earlier, Upamanyu Hazarika, senior advocate of the apex court and the chief convener of Prabrajon Birodhi Mancha, Asom in his address to the media strongly criticised the Government of maintaining a soft corner for the illegal Bangladshi immigrants encroaching these PGR and VGR land even after officially recognising them as encroachers.

In connection with the ongoing Case (No. 1/15) filed at the Mangaldai court under Assam Land Grabbing Act in February , 2015 by Sangrami Satirtha Sanmilan, Darrang and Dakhsin Mangaldai Gowala Santha, he reiterated that the case was filed on the basis of the official information of illegal land grabbing, but surprisingly, the Public Prosecutor did not appear before the court even on a single date out of the total 19 dates fixed for hearing till June 18.

He further pointed out that there was no need of filing court cases in such matters and the authority can easily evacuate these encroachers by exercising the power conferred vide Section 165 of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886 and the DC may take the evacuated land under his own management and also permit farming by local indigenous farmers for a period he thinks fit.

But the Government�s double standard is obvious. On the one hand they have confessed to encroachment in the PGR land and on the other they are spending public money for implementation of Government schemes like construction of 32 school buildings, health centres and setting up of power lines, he added. He charged the former Congress-led State Government of rehabilitating illegal Bangladeshis in PGR, VGR land during their 15-year tenure and urged the present BJP-led dispensation to prove their integrity towards the indigenous people who brought them to power this time.

The press meet was also addressed by Ramesh Chandra Barua of Sangrami Satirtha Sanmilan, Darrang and Kobad Ali of Dakhsin Mangaldai Gowala Santha, the two complainants of the case.

Besides filing of case, the local public bodies have been consistently pursuing the issue through mass signature campaign, protest rallies, memo to the PM, Union Home Minister and the Governor, besides citizens� meet, among others and a public meeting held at the District Sahitya Sabha Bhawan on June 5 last, which formed the united forum with representatives of 18 public bodies to carry forward the movement against illegal encroachers on public land.

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