Assam, Sept 24: The Assam Congress PCC has launched an all-out attack against the state government against the “police brutality” during the eviction drive in Sipajhar on Thursday.
The Assam Congress, led by state unit president Bhupen Borah took out a protest rally in Mangaldoi against the incident of police opening fire on protestors during the eviction drive in Sipajhar.
The Assam Congress leaders and workers also staged a demonstration in front of the office of the deputy commissioner of Darrang district.
Staged a dharna in front of DC office, submitted memorandum to the Governor of Assam to stop the eviction & to protect the fundamental & human rights of the people there.
Thereafter visited Dholpur along with a delegation of Assam PCC and interacted with vulnerable people there. pic.twitter.com/9qOSgZXPpM— Ripun Bora (@ripunbora) September 24, 2021
The Assam PCC in a statement said evicting people from their habitations during a pandemic is a violation of the Supreme Court directive.
Assam PCC president Bhupen Borah strongly condemned the police firing on resident protesters in the Dholpur area in Sipajhar during the drive, carried out by the Darrang district administration and the police. Two persons died, while several others, including the police, were injured in clashes.
The state PCC demanded a judicial probe into the matter and immediate suspension of the Darrang DC and SP.
Before the eviction drive was launched, Congress said the government should have arranged for their rehabilitation and alternative housing for the families whose houses were razed to initiate a state farming project at Garukhuti in Darrang district.
Also Read: Assam: Two killed, several injured in police firing in Dhalpur
PCC write to Governor Jagadish Mukhi and demanded:
1. A judicial inquiry of the incident should take place under a sitting judge of the High Court.
2. Immediate halt of the eviction until an appropriate rehabilitation plan is made public.
3. Immediate suspension of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police.
4. The cameraman and the police personnel who were stationed and took part in the whole barbaric act should also be accorded exemplary punishment. Moreover those deceased and those injured should be adequately compensated.
5. An all-party meeting along with stakeholders should be immediately called to strategize and plan a rehabilitation and compensation program for the people of Dholpur.
6. Congress party feels that the CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma despite holding a constitutional post, taking an oath to serve and protect all citizens has behaved in a biased manner by constantly giving provocative statements which have made matters worse. His statement of giving full authority to police to do encounter firing had also given license to kill and has dangers of turning Assam into a police state. Dr Sarma thereby as CM should watch his words and orders in the future to maintain sanity in the police force and peace in the state of Assam. The highly provocative statements of the Political Secretary of the CM should also be brought under judicial inquiry.
The Assam government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the clashes that broke out in Assam’s Sipajhar on Thursday during an eviction drive.
