Congress seeks Assam Governor's intervention over 'unconstitutional' eviction drives
Assam Congress cited the evictions caused violations of constitutional and forest rights laws;

A file picture of an eviction
Guwahati, July 6: Alleging that the evictions carried by the State government in different parts of the State has severely affected various communities, including indigenous Bodos, Karbi, Garo, and Ahom populations, in addition to Assamese Hindus and minority Muslim communities, the State Congress today sought the intervention of Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya.
In a memorandum, the Congress said that "constitutional values are getting eroded with the displacement of communities, where the people are pushed out of their land due to their vulnerability".
Citing various instances of eviction, the Congress said there is an SOP which is to be followed before such exercises. "However, this has been totally been ignored by the government," it said.
"These incidents appropriated on evictions transgresses the provisions of the Forest Rights Act 2006, the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA 1996), Chapter X (Protect Land Rights in Tribal Belts/Blocks) the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886, Assam (Temporarily Settled Tenancy Are-as) Act 1971, along with undermining Article 21 (Right to life and livelihood) and Schedule VI of the Constitution of India, and landmark decisions opined by the Supreme Court of India in Olga Tellis and Haldwani Case," the Congress alleged.
Demanding a halt to the ongoing and proposed eviction drives affecting indigenous, tribal, and erosion-displaced communities, the Opposition party sought an independent commission of inquiry into all evictions conducted since 2022, with a special focus on Sixth Schedule districts and Tribal Belt/Block area.
The Congress also demanded a comprehensive land rights regularization pol-icy, clearly distinguishing long-settled indigenous occupants from speculative encroachers.
The party also asked the Governor to ensure legal and humane rehabilitation measures, "in line with Constitutional morality and India's obligations under the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)."
"The people of Assam especially its tribals, erosion-displaced citizens, and indigenous communities - look to your office as the constitutional conscience of the State. These eviction drives, conducted in the name of "development" without due process or consent, threaten to displace the very people whose land rights the Constitution seeks to uphold," the memorandum added.