Goalpara MLA AK Rasid Alom denies charges of 'temple land' encroachment

A Correspondent

Goalpara: Congress MLA of Goalpara East constituency in Lower Assam, AK Rasid Alom on Sunday categorically denied an allegation that he had tried to encroach land in Goalpara town which belonged either to a xatra or a temple.

"I have not tried to encroach or grab any land that belongs to any religious institution. This is fake news that has been published in a section of media," said the MLA. However, he further added that he had a plot of land at the Baidalpara Tiniali of Agia Road in Ward No. IX. "I have a plot of patta land at the Baidalpara Road Tiniali and on Thursday evening I arranged earth filling as one side of the place is low lying," he said. He denied that the land belonged to any religious institutions. "The land is recorded in my name at the Balijana revenue circle under dag number 350 and patta number 22. It does not belong to any religious institution, neither Muslim nor Hindu. But a youth group with vested interests and anti-social motif has raised the issue in a controversial way so that they can reap some communal benefits out of it," alleged the MLA. A youth group had on Thursday night obstructed an earth-carrying truck from dumping earth at the mentioned spot claiming the land to belong to a xatra or temple. When asked, a member of the group said, "We have heard that this plot of land was reserved for temple by our community." However, he was ignorant about the land documents of the plot of land. The local police arrived at the spot on the same night and seized an earth-carrying truck bearing registration number AS18 C-6321. The police also dispersed both the parties from the disputed land and kept vigil on it.

On the other hand, AK Rasid Alom has significantly alleged that a politically-motivated group is trying to trigger communal tension in the peaceful district. "This is clearly an instance of conspiracy to disturb the communal harmony among the different sects in the district," he said.

Meanwhile, Babu Ali, owner of the truck, alleged that the same group had demand

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