45 Bodo families forcefully evicted in Guwahati; ABSU writes to CM demanding help

GUWAHATI: 45 families, primarily of the Boro tribe from Nalpara area in Guwahati city, have reportedly been evicted by forest officials. A student body has now written to Assam's Chief Minister asking for rehabilitation.

All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) writing to Himanta Biswa Sarma said that on January 31st of 2022, forest department vandalized their houses damaging their properties and warned to evacuate the place.

[caption id="attachment_110320" align="alignright" width="629"]                                                      ABSU members providing relief to the victims[/caption]

"The fact is that at the same adjacent area there are more numbers of new houses of different illegal migrants which the department has not evicted them. It is highly injustice to the son of the soil and indigenous tribal people. We are very much pleased when you have assured us that tribal people should not be evicted during this government," the ABSU said in its appeal to Biswa Sarma.

The ABSU said that officials under the leadership of forest beat officer of Fatasil had "vehemently and forcefully evicted 45 Bodo families under Nalpara, Gorchuk vandalizing their houses without prior notice alleging that they are illegally occupying the land."

A total of around 300 people have been evicted and are now dwelling in makeshift camps on the land.

It added that this has not been done on the government's order but is an act of the beat officer. "He has been alleged to have taken money from illegal migrant communities," ABSU alleged.

According to the ABSU's statement, the land has been donated by an NGO "Regional centre for human resource development and social welfare organization".

The ABSU has demanded a high level enquiry into the incident of illegal eviction drive on Bodo community.

It has further sought Biswa Sarma to provide land pattas to the victim families under government policy or FRA Act, 2006.

It has also urged the BJP-led government to provide compensation and relief materials to the victim families.

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