Assam: Protesters clash with local politicians over Adani Power Project in Kokrajhar

Kokrajhar: Tensions flared in Assam’s Kokrajhar district on Saturday as hundreds of local residents in the Paglijhora Protected Reserved Forest (PRF) area, under the Parbatjhora Forest Division, clashed with local political leaders.

The confrontation arose amidst suspicions that a survey was being conducted for land allegedly transferred to the Adani power plant.

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For the past four days, men and women from Paglijhora have been staging vociferous protests against the land allocation to Adani group for a thermal plant.

Their agitation escalated as they blocked the Gauripur-Banshbari PWD road, bringing traffic to a standstill.

The core of the dispute lies in the Assam government and Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) administration’s decision, made through the “Advantage Assam” initiative, to allocate approximately 3,400 bighas of land in the Banshbari-Paglijhora area for a thermal power project by the Adani Group.

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This land, however, is home to hundreds of tribal communities who assert they have lived and farmed there for centuries, relying on it for their livelihood.

Local residents express deep anger and frustration, claiming that the BTR government has made no efforts to compromise or consult with the people living on the allocated land. A significant majority of the area’s population are tribal people living below the poverty line, and they view the potential transfer of their ancestral land as a “death fight for the sake of protection.”

The protest garnered support today from prominent organizations, including the Boro Sahitya Sabha and the Tribal Sangh. Leaders from these groups visited the protest site, urging the government to immediately assess the situation and halt the land transfer to the Adani Group.

Niranjan Brahma, a leader of the Tribal Sangh, stated that the protesters are fighting for justice and affirmed the unwavering support of the Tribal Associations and Boro Sahitya Sabha for their cause.

Brahma further urged the government to consider the plight of the protesters and make alternative decisions regarding the land allocation. The situation remains volatile as locals vow to continue their fight for their land and livelihoods.