India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—Demanding strict action against those responsible for brutality against Muslims during evictions in the Dholpur area of the Darrang district of Assam, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) also asked for immediate rehabilitation of over 900 families hit by “encroachment removal.”
(Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that removal of encroachment drive from government land would not stop.)
Addressing media persons at its headquarters here on Wednesday, JIH President Syed Sadatullah Husaini said that what happened in Assam amounted to “misuse of law for political gains.”
He said no proper procedure was followed in the eviction of Muslims in the Dholpur village of the Darrang district.
JIH chief said that an alternative accommodation must have been provided as per law before evicting people from their homes.
Besides giving a very “inhumane treatment” to the Muslim villagers, he alleged that a “communal colour” was also given to the eviction drive.
Pointing out that it was the responsibility of the state government to make alternative arrangements for the accommodation, livelihood, education, and health before evicting any group of people, the JIH chief said that “the way a communal colour was given to the whole eviction drive is a blot on any civilized state.”
Mr Husaini was interacting with the media after the return of a joint delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiatul Ulema-e-Hind (JUH), and the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO). The delegation had gone to Assam to assess police atrocities that resulted in the death of two residents and injuries to several others in the Darrang district. Among those in the delegation included JIH vice-president S. Ameenul Hassan, Jamiat’s general secretary Maulana Hakimuddin Qasmi, JIH Secretary Shafi Madani, and SIO president Salman Ahmed.
JIH vice-president S. Ameenul Hasan, who spoke to the media, said that the delegation visited all the affected areas and met the victims.
“We found the situation very grim on the ground,” he said.
In its meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, he said that the delegation expressed concern and anger over the police brutality. “The delegation demanded an impartial inquiry into the and two deaths of unarmed civilians in Dholpur village of Darrang district and demanded that the whole incident be investigated impartially, and strict action be taken against the culprits,” Mr Hasan informed.
He said that the delegation also appealed to the CM to ensure that one acre of land for farming and one extra acre of land for housing be allotted to each affected family as promised by the state government. In addition, the delegation also raised the issue of payment of compensation to the families of those having died in police action.
“The CM assured the delegation that all citizens of the state will be treated equally, and nobody shall be mistreated,” said Mr Hasan.
JIH Secretary Shafi Madani said that it was strange that 900 families were evicted to implement an organic farming project over 25,000 acres of land.
