Guwahati: A memorandum was submitted to chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday by the Bhumi Adhikar Joutha Sangram Samiti (BAJSS) demanding the unconditional release of land rights activist Pranab Doley, withdrawal of all cases against him and his associates in connection with the Ingle Pathar incident, and cancellation of the proposed hotel project on the land.The organisation also demanded that all govt attempts to evict 45 Adivasi families who have been residing and cultivating the land for generations be stopped.The demands were raised during a mass protest organised by the Land Rights Joint Struggle Committee at Chachal in Guwahati against Doley’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA). “The NSA had been misused by the Assam govt to prolong Doley’s incarceration despite a Sessions Court granting him bail,” said Subrata Talukdar, who is the convener of BAJSS.A large number of tribal farmers, students, researchers and members of various organisations participated in the demonstration. Participants arrived from places including Ukiam, Borduar, Mikiri Bamuni, Jagiroad, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao and Shilsako, and voiced their opposition to the proposed hotel project at Ingle Pathar in Kaziranga.According to the committee, Doley and four other activists were arrested on July 12 following protests against the alleged forcible construction of a large hotel project on the ancestral residential and agricultural land of 45 Adivasi families at Ingle Pathar, Hatikhuli.Although Doley was subsequently granted bail by a Sessions Court, the committee alleged that the govt imposed the NSA on him on July 31, extending his detention.“We condemn the move, invoking the NSA against a social activist amounts to curtailing fundamental rights and freedom of expression,” Talukdar also said.A similar protest demanding Doley’s unconditional release was also organised at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi on Saturday evening. The programme, organised by the JNU Students’ Union, was attended by students, researchers and members of the teaching community.
