A CORRESPONDENT
ORANG: A single government notice has thrown an indigenous majority area of Udalguri district into an atmosphere of fear and anxiety. Panic has spread in villages near the Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary under the Dhansiri forest division of Udalguri, where the forest department has initiated a land-survey drive.
On Friday, in response, thousands of indigenous people came out in protest against the government and forest department. Residents of Rajagarh in Greater Dimakuchi, including Shuklai, Borongajuli, Deochoonga, and Nalapara, voiced strong opposition to the government’s decision.
For decades, Assamese, Bengali, Adivasi, Garo, and Gorkha communities have been residing in these villages. The forest department’s eviction survey notice has now triggered massive outrage among these indigenous communities and various local organizations.
Defying adverse weather, thousands of people staged a public rally and meeting on Friday. They demanded that the government immediately withdraw this arbitrary decision, warning of fierce protests otherwise.
During the gathering, angry slogans of ‘Go Back BJP Government,’ ‘Go Back Himanta Biswa Sarma,’ ‘Go Back BTR Government,’ ‘BJP Government, Beware,’ ‘We will never give up our land, we’ll give our blood but not our land,’ etc. filled the air.
The protest created a tense and charged atmosphere at the premises of the Rajagarh Simanta Sangha. The demonstrators and leaders of several student bodies warned that if the survey was not withdrawn, they would boycott the upcoming BTC election and intensify the agitation.
The meeting witnessed participation from intellectuals and socially conscious citizens of various communities, along with leaders of multiple student organizations, including the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA), Gorkha Students’ Union, ACRSU, AASU, Kalita Students’ Union, Bengali Federation, and Veer Lachit Sena Assam, among others.
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