Assam Government to Seek Clarity in High Court Amid Karbi Anglong Unrest
Image Source: Internet
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced plans to move the Gauhati High Court on January 5 to clarify eviction procedures in the West Karbi Anglong district. This decision comes after a week of violent clashes between the indigenous Karbi and Bihari communities, resulting in two deaths and over 70 injuries, including 60 police personnel. A tripartite meeting at the CM's residence in Guwahati revealed that the government will withdraw offices from Village Grazing Reserve and Professional Grazing Reserve land, fence 8,000 bighas of land, and launch a large-scale afforestation drive to restore green cover. The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council will cancel trade licenses issued in these areas and refrain from granting new ones. The tensions between the Karbi and Bihari communities have been ongoing, with allegations of encroachment on grazing reserve lands. A 15-day hunger strike by the Karbi community ended after the administration assured talks with the CM. Following the violence, police registered multiple cases, but the CM announced that most will be withdrawn to promote a positive message. A family member of the person killed in police firing will receive a government job and ₹10 lakh in compensation. The CM attributed the stay order on evictions to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council's failure to submit an affidavit to the High Court, which will now be rectified. The government hopes that this will enable necessary evictions to take place, addressing the issue of encroachments on government land, not limited to grazing reserves.
