NEFIS PROTESTS AGAINST BJP GOVT’S BRUTAL EVICTION OF TRIBALS FROM AMCHANG IN GUWAHATI!
DEMANDS PROBE INTO NEXUS BETWEEN STATE BJP GOVT AND CORPORATES!
DEMANDS IMMEDIATE RE-INSTATEMENT OF EVICTED FAMILIES AND RELEASE OF AKHIL GOGOI AND OTHER KMSS ACTVISTS!
The activists of North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) along with other organizations protested today at Assam Bhawan, Chanakyapuri against the brutal eviction of marginalized tribal communities from Amchang area in Guwahati by the ruling BJP government. It should be known that since 27 November morning, the anti-poor BJP government of Assam has demolished over 400 homes in the Amchang area, near Guwahati. These homes belonged to the poor working people from various marginalised communities of the state, such as Mising, Karbi, Rabha, Dimasa, Bodo, Koch, Kalita, Ahom and others. The eviction was not only illegal but mercilessly brutal as the Govt brought in 2000 army and police personnel, elephants, bulldozers, tear-gas shells guns and attacked the people ruthlessly in order to evict them.
It should be known that the BJP govt in the state as well as in the centre is mercilessly encroaching upon people’s rights in its drive to secure profits for the corporates. In November too, marginalized communities were evicted from their homes in Sipajhar area of Darrang district. It should be known that even as the state BJP govt destroys people’s homes, it has allocated lands to Ramdev’s Patanajali and tea and cement companies at throwaway rates. The people who have been evicted were those who had been displaced from their original homelands due to flooding and land erosion. Despite braving such hardships, they were not provided any assistance by the state govt then, which even gave them land rights in order to levy taxes from them.
It should also be noted that social activists as well as common people who are protesting against eviction are being systematically targeted. Social Activist Akhil Gogoi has been arrested and put in police custody after being charged under National Security Act by the state government.
NEFIS condemns BJP’s anti-people move and demands that all further eviction drives should be halted and all evictees in Amchang and Sipajhar should be compensated for their loss. It also demands that a judicial probe should be conducted into the nexus of state govt and corporates which has expedited eviction. Also, it demands that social activist Akhil Gogoi and other KMSS activists should be immediately released and charges of National Security Act should be dropped.
This Press Release was sent by Chinglen Khumukcham, who is the Convener of North-East Forum For International Solidarity, who can be contacted at nefis(dot)delhi(at)gmail(dot)com.
