HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, July 10: Tensions flared in Assam’s Dhubri district on Thursday as the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) staged widespread protests against an ongoing eviction drive that has displaced over a thousand families in the Chapar revenue circle.
The demonstrations, held in villages such as Charuwa Bakra, Santoshpur, and Chirakuti Part I and II, were led by senior AIUDF leaders, including nine sitting MLAs. Among them were Mankachar MLA Aminul Islam and Karimganj South MLA Karim Uddin Barbhuyan.
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The protestors blocked National Highway 17, disrupting traffic and daily life in the region.
The police detained several AIUDF leaders and party workers at Bilasipara, taking them to Chapar Police Station, from where they were released later in the day. Security has since been tightened in the affected areas.
The protest follows a large-scale eviction carried out on Tuesday, in which nearly 3,500 bighas (approximately 1,160 acres) of land across the three villages were cleared by the administration to make way for a proposed 3,400 MW thermal power plant by the Adani Group.
According to official estimates, the eviction affected around 1,100 families.
During Tuesday’s eviction, tensions reportedly escalated into violence as alleged encroachers clashed with police, damaged excavators, and attempted to obstruct the operation.
Security personnel were forced to resort to a baton-charge to bring the situation under control.
Speaking to reporters, MLA Aminul Islam termed the eviction “inhuman and unjustified,” stating, “Thousands of people were made homeless and such injustice is not acceptable.”
He accused the BJP-led government of targeting vulnerable communities without providing adequate rehabilitation.
Islam further alleged that the police were attempting to silence the AIUDF leadership: “The AIUDF has always worked for the people and will continue to raise its voice against injustice.” The party reiterated its commitment to fighting for the rights of the displaced.
The state government, on the other hand, maintains that the land was encroached upon and the eviction was necessary to facilitate public infrastructure development. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had visited the site last month and announced plans to set up the power plant, saying that a tender for the project would be floated soon.
As the standoff continues, the political fallout from the eviction drive is likely to intensify, with opposition parties rallying around the displaced families and calling for a review of the government’s land acquisition and rehabilitation policies. (With inputs from PTI)
