Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday met Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) chief Tuliram Ronghang and said it has been decided to move jointly before the High Court, so that the entire issue can be resolved immediately. He said all government offices in the VGR/PGR area will be relocated and it was also decided to fence all the vacant land and start a forestation drive. He said he is hopeful that both sides will be able to resolve all issues amicably through the process of discussion.
Eviction process will be carried out: Himanta Biswa Sarma
After meeting with the delegation team of the Karbi tribal society, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said," Today, the outcome was that we have decided to move jointly before the High Court, so that the entire issue can be resolved immediately. All government offices in the VGR/PGR area will be relocated. We also decided to fence all the vacant land and start a forestation drive. We have also agreed to cancel trade licences issued illegally in the last 5 years. The eviction process will also be carried out against people occupying government land, including irrigation offices in Bokolia. A decision has been made to provide a job to the victim's family. The discussion was excellent in the first meeting. I have directed Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council to file affidavit. I am hopeful that we will be able to resolve all issues amicably through the process of discussion."
Normalcy returns to Karbi Anglong districts
Normalcy returned to violence-hit areas of Assam's West Karbi Anglong district with no fresh incidents being reported in the area. Strict security vigil is being maintained in the affected areas, after two persons were killed and several others, including police personnel, were injured in violence earlier this week, officials said.
"The situation is normal now. However, prohibitory orders, night curfew and suspension of mobile internet services in the affected areas continue to be in force," the official said. He added that no fresh incident of violence has been reported over the last couple of days, even as the army, Rapid Action Force and CRPF were deployed in the area.
Kheroni area houses people from Bihari, Bengali and Nepali communities
The worst-hit Kheroni area in the district houses people from Bihari, Bengali and Nepali communities apart from the Karbis. The indigenous Karbi and the Bihari communities have been at loggerheads in West Karbi Anglong district over allegations of encroachment on Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) lands in the tribal belts by the Hindi-speaking people.
The agitators from the Karbi community had been on a hunger strike for 15 days, demanding the eviction of alleged illegal settlers, who mostly hail from Bihar, from the VGR and PGR lands in the two districts -- Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong.
They went on a rampage on Monday after police took away three agitators from the protest site during the early hours, a move which the administration later claimed was for their hospitalisation.
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