GUWAHATI: Assam Revenue Minister Jogen Mohan on Friday defended a tribal council’s plan to evict about 10,000 people from areas designated as professional grazing reserves (PGR) and village grazing reserves (VGR).
The move by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to evict 2,086 families of “illegal settlers” sparked unrest, leading to the injury of 11 persons and the arrest of 17 a week ago.
The genesis of the trouble is said to be a memorandum submitted by an organisation of the Hindi-speaking Nonia community in January, seeking the legalisation of the settlers on PGR and VGR lands in West Karbi Anglong district.
The KAAC administers the tribal-majority Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts, both under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Citing precedents dating back to 1933 when the PGR was conceived, Mr. Mohan told the 126-member Assam Assembly that alleged illegal settlement led to the council’s decision to free the “occupied” lands.
He was replying to the concerns raised by Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia, also the Leader of the Opposition. “The eviction notices have affected some 10,000 people, many of whom have certificates proving residency since 1940 and are included in the updated National Register of Citizens. They face an uncertain future after being told to vacate the land they have called home for decades,” he said.
This story was originally published in thehindu.com. Read the full story here.