GUWAHATI, June 23 – The Communist Party of India (CPI), Assam State Council has condemned the police firing on the protesters who had gathered today at Dispur Last Gate responding to the call of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).
The KMSS had decided to protest against the government's drive to evict people who have been settling on government land in the hills and wetlands amongst others, through its Dispur Gherao programme today.
The party has demanded of the government to give settlement and pattas to the Indian citizens who don’t have land of their own. “If the Indian citizens are occupying land at forest reserve, the landless Indian citizens should be rehabilitated in some other suitable place instead of evicting them haphazardly,” the party said in a statement.
The party on the other hand, has also demanded appropriate compensation for the deceased and the injured in the event of firing.
The police reaction has also been condemned by the All India Kisan Sabha, Assam State Council. Describing the police firing as unwarranted, the Sabha said that the government should do a survey of the landless Indian citizens in the capital city and give them settlement and patta.
“If it is necessary to protect the forests by eviction, then the government should take steps to relocate the Indian citizens to other place,” said the Kisan Sabha adding that the deceased and the injured in today’s incident should be adequately compensated by the government.
Meanwhile he Mahanagar Unnayan Samity, Guwahati said that the government has been ignoring one of the burning issues of the capital city – that is the plight of the landless people. “The government has not taken any sincere step to solve the land problem. The government is entirely responsible for today’s incident,” said the Samity demanding a high level inquiry into the incident.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Assam State Committee too has condemned the police firing on protesters. In a statement, calling the incident unfortunate, the CPM said that instead of solving the demands of the agitators the government took the help of the police to suppress the protest.
