Sipajhar eviction a mere eyewash, alleges Prabrajan Virodhi Mancha
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Jan 22 - Alleging that the eviction drive taken up by the State government in 77,420 bighas of land under encroachment in Sipajhar of Darrang was a mere eyewash, the Prabrajan Virodhi Mancha today said it would start a �gana satyagraha� on January 28 along with the local people of the area to free the land from the encroachers.
Criticising the government authorities for misleading the people in the name of carrying out the eviction in December last year, the Mancha alleged a huge amount of money was pocketed by the politicians and bureaucracy for staging the mock eviction drive.
�For the last three years the people of Darrang and Sipajhar have been relentlessly fighting to free the land in question from encroachment, which even according to official records, is under encroachment by �non Indians�. Rather than evicting the encroachers the government has over the last 15 years provided multiple benefits to the encroachers, violating all norms,� said senior advocate Upamanyu Hazarika while addressing the media here.
The Mancha had planned a similar anti-encroachment protest on December 21 and on the same date the government had started the eviction proceedings, after which the protest action was suspended.
Members of the Prabrajan Virodhi Mancha, Dakhin Paschim Gowal Santha and Sangrami Satirtha Sanmilan � the organisations raising the demand for freeing the land from encroachers � argued that the first phase of eviction drive, meant to be carried out in three days, was called off after the very first day, and the 1,200 bighas of land cleared so far, are still in the hands of the encroachers.
�Apprehension of the local people is that a huge sum of money has exchanged hands in the name of this drive. It has been reported that Rs 500 per bigha had been raised by the encroachers, which is cumulatively amounted to Rs 3.5 crore for 77,420 bighas and this money was available for distribution among those at the helm of affairs,� Hazarika alleged.
The locals further alleged that the fraudulent nature of the eviction was obvious from the fact that the land which was cleared, was surrounded from all sides by encroachers and no access can be gained to the land by the local indigenous citizens.
Out of the 77,420 bighas, 3,000 bighas are Professional Grazing Reserves (PGR Land), which, under the Assam Revenue Regulation, can only be used for grazing. Not only have the encroachers settled upon this land, but in connivance with government officials and local politicians, have also got the benefit of schools, dispensaries, housing schemes, etc.
�On January 28, 1894 in a rebellion against British oppression, 140 farmers of Pathorighat, Sipajhar, were martyred and this day is observed every year as the Krishak Shahid Diwas. As a tribute to the martyrs of Pathorighat we will be resuming the �gana satyagraha� on January 28 by undertaking a peaceful programme upon the encroached land,� representatives of the three organisations said.