Assamese man burns self over land rights

In an unheard incident in the state of Assam, Pranab Bodo, a 45 year old person was seriously injured in a self-immolation attempt near the state secretariat on Monday demanding land rights for 85,000 families living in and around Guwahati.

He ran among the other protesters before the flames were doused and police took him to GMCH. According to police, he has suffered over 90 percent burn injuries.

Following the incident layers of armed policemen were placed as barricades on all roads and lanes leading to Dispur and Khanapara to thwart the marching protesters.

This incident comes a day before Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Assam.

A peasant organisation in Assam, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), of which Bodo is a member had announced a series of protests from today demanding land rights to the people of Assam who are presently living on hillocks and wetlands near the city of Guwahati, and had also threatened self-immolation if demands were not me at the earliest.

After the self immolation bid, the KMSS leadership however cancelled the series of agitation programs and asked all the agitators to go home.

RTI activist and general secretary of KMSS, Akhil Gogoi blamed the Assam government for the unfortunate incident and said that this shows that the Assam government is not at all concerned about the poor in the state.

The state cabinet recently approved giving land settlement to families residing on government land, mostly on hills in an around the city, till January 28, 2001

Assam Chief minister Tarun Gogoi has said the government will not give land settlement to anybody living on forest and wetlands.

The KMSS, however, disagreed and said the government should give settlement to those who have been dwelling on these lands till December 13, 2005.

Meanwhile the police and the district administration have swung into action, and have said that no one will be allowed to take law into their hands, and said that it will deal with the situation firmly.