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AJP slams land reform move, urges govt to extend consultation period on draft policy

The AJP alleged that the move to amend Assam’s existing land laws was being carried out in a secretive and arbitrary manner, keeping citizens in the dark.

By The Assam Tribune
AJP slams land reform move, urges govt to extend consultation period on draft policy
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A file image of AJP press meet. 

Guwahati, June 29: In a strong rebuttal to the Assam government’s ongoing efforts to overhaul land laws, the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) on Saturday organized a meeting at the Pragjyoti ITA Centre in Machkhowa, where it accused the State government of acting unilaterally and against the public interest. The meeting, themed “Land Problems and Solutions in Assam,” adopted a series of resolutions urging the government to halt what the party described as a non-transparent and externally influenced reform process.

The AJP alleged that the move to amend Assam’s existing land laws was being carried out in a secretive and arbitrary manner, keeping citizens in the dark. It further claimed that the land policy reforms appeared to be driven by forces outside the State, posing a threat to the rights of Assam’s indigenous communities. The party demanded an immediate extension of the public consultation period on the draft land governance framework by six months.

“We invited the protesting organizations from all over the State, where the government plans to annex people’s land on various pretexts. We thoroughly discussed both the social and legal angles of the issue. We need to see through the smokescreen surrounding the proposed changes. Together we will raise a strong voice so that no injustice is done to the indigenous people of Assam,” said Lurinjyoti Gogoi, president, AJP.

The meeting also pressed for the implementation of recommendations submitted by two key government-appointed panels - the Land Reforms Committee led by Harishankar Brahma and the high-level committee chaired by retired Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma.

Highlighting the plight of flood-affected and erosion-displaced families, the AJP called for policy-based land allotment and resettlement of these landless residents. Questions were also raised about the effectiveness of the government’s flagship ‘Basundhara’ scheme, with the party alleging that it was being misused to dispossess people rather than support them. A demand was made for publication of a white paper detailing its implementation and outcomes.

The AJP underscored the need for a people-oriented land policy that would both secure indigenous land rights and pave the way for sustainable development. A public committee comprising social leaders and experts has been constituted to draft a model land policy, which will be placed before public soon. The 15-member committee is being headed by Chandrakanta Das.

The proposed hydropower project on the Kulsi River also came under scrutiny during the meeting, which demanded full disclosure from the government on the technical and environmental impact of the dam. It also called for detailed consultations with the affected communities and appointed experts.

The regional party also reiterated its demand for the full implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to provide land titles to Scheduled Tribes and traditional forest dwellers.

With Saturday’s meeting, the AJP tried to mobilize public opinion and institutional resistance against reforms it deems undemocratic and anti-people.

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