90 structures including many Pucca buildings demolished in Patherkandi as part of Karimganj admin’s eviction drive

“I showed my documents to the Circle Officer madam, she said go to court and file a case. She did not see my documents and in front of my eyes, the house that we built spending our hard-earned money was demolished,” this is how a local resident of Ichabeel Gaon Panchayat area in Patharkandi explained the eviction drive.

Since yesterday, hundreds of posts have been shared on Facebook with hashtag, “Dada_Ka_JCB”. Some went ecstatic while sharing the post on Social Media. Today morning, hell broke for the residents of Kotamoni area’s Tejpur and Isarpar. Five excavators drove into the narrow lanes one after another.

Locals gathered around Circle Officer of Patharkandi, Arpita Dutta Mazumdar and started pleading for mercy. Deputy Commissioner of Karimganj, Mridul Yadav, Superintendent of Police, Padmanabh Baruah among others were present. Huge deployment of forces armed with counter-riot gears, guarded the excavators as they approached the constructions to be demolished.

The Government standpoint as stated by the MLA of Patharkandi is, encroachers have trespassed Government land leased to Ichabeel Tea Estate and erected illegal constructions. The Circle Officer said, after several warnings and rounds of public announcements, the administration has taken the step today.

As she mentions about the official Public announcement, Barak Bulletin has got access to a video featuring one such announcements. The Public Announcer, on behalf of the administration is clearly heard saying, “Furnish documents on or before 5:00pm July 17 or else, there will be eviction.”

Today is July 16, so why today? When asked, the Circle Officer responds, “There are five Mouzas where there are encroachments that need to be evicted. I have heard from many quarters: it was announced that the eviction drive will be carried out on July 17, and thus the question, why on July 16. Let me make it clear, since we cannot conduct eviction drives in all five Mouzas together, phase wise announcements are being made. The areas where it was announced that the eviction will be carried out on July 17, we have not touched those areas.”

The video, however, contradicts what Circle Officer Dutta Mazumdar is claiming. She is right about the five Mouzas, but the announcer mentions all five Mouzas and says the eviction drive in areas under those Mouzas will be carried out after 5:00pm on July 17. “Ichabeel, Isapar, Radhamadhabpur Kitte Hussainpur, Radhamadhabpur Kitte Rashidpur, Kottonpur Mauzas,” these are the exact Mauzas the announcer refers to. The announcer adds, “If anyone has legal documents to claim the land, they must submit the documents to the Patharkandi Circle Office. Or else, it is directed to all the encroachers who have built gardens, houses or any other constructions in Government of Assam’s leased plots, they must vacate or else actions will be taken as per the law.” (Video Below).

While about the announcement, the Circle Officer’s answer was contradictory to the ground reality, on the issue of documents, she said. “Those are not valid documents. These are internal papers of agreement between parties. In the official land records, there is no mention of such ownership,” she adds.

Here the question arises, if they all are illegal trespassers, how do they get electricity connections. How does the government bodies bill them? How are they allotted voter identity cards, Aadhar Cards. How does these illegally built houses get approved by the same authorities demolishing them, as permanent addresses? Most of the victims our correspondent spoke to, said they have NRC too.

The Circle officer informed that 90 structures that included pucca buildings, kuccha houses among others, have been demolished today. This is the phase one of the eviction drive and these will continue.

One resident, who had his building demolished said he bought a plot of land following all protocols, four years back. 15 members of the family lived in the building that was brought down. “We have no place to live. Today we don’t know where we will head to. We have showed our documents but we were told that the plot mentioned in the document does not belong to us. I don’t know how it is possible but that is what has happened,” he added.

There was resistance in some parts where the members of the family lied down to block the path of the excavators. Some even threw wooden logs at approaching excavators. One of the logs injured a security personnel, following which the Police retaliated with Lathi Charge to bring the situation under control. Apart from that, there were no reports of law and order situation at the eviction zones.

A local said that more than thousand individuals will have to sleep under the open sky because of the eviction drive carried out today. Member of a Muslim Union who visited the spot said that they are valid residents of the country and deserve the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India. “I beg before the Government and the district administration to make rehabilitation arrangements for the people before carrying out such eviction drives. It is unfortunate that an elected Government is breaking the houses of participants in election and providing them no shelter,” said the member.

It is worth mentioning here that not a single political party in the opposition opposed the eviction drive carried out at Patharkandi in Karimganj.