Our Correspondent
Diphu, Feb. 5 (EMN): Karbi Students’ Union (KSU) and Karbi Students’ Association (KSA) of Simeon Rongphar and Thangsing Timung factions supported the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) for carrying out the eviction drive at Khan basti of Lahorijan Block-3 on the Assam-Nagaland inter-state border.
It may be mentioned that the KAAC on January 30 had carried out an eviction drive at Khan basti in Lahorijan Block-3, where around 350 houses of illegal settlers were demolished.
The All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) on Friday criticised the eviction drive of the KAAC terming it "unconstitutional".
Addressing media persons at a press conference held at District Press Club of Karbi Anglong office on Saturday, Thangsing Timung said the KSA and KSU appreciated the initiative taken by KAAC, and added that houses and areas which were left would also be evicted.
‘On February 9 a verdict in Gauhati High Court will come out on the plea of stay order of some illegal settlers. But the verdict will be in favour of the KAAC. What we want is to continue the eviction drive to clear out all illegal settlers from any parts of Karbi Anglong. Everyone knows that in Khan basti and Dudu colony in Lahorijan, all illegal activities from drug trafficking and flesh trade are being operated,’ Timung said.
“I myself was there in the eviction drive and I don’t find any partiality on line of tribes and religion. Those with stay order from high court were left out. It has not targeted only Muslim or Naga community and those occupying illegally in government land will certainly be evicted. No political parties should take political mileage from it. If it is not done now, then there will be great problem in the near future", he said.
Timung also said that soon after the eviction drive, a joint meeting was held between Dimapur Naga Students'Union (DNSU) and Naga Students Federation (NSF) where the KSA and KSU had made it clear to that the eviction drive was not targeted at any particular tribe or religion.
Advisor, KSU, Sar-im Tokbi said, “There is no need of supporting those illegal settlers occupying Karbi Anglong land. The eviction drive carried out by KAAC authority is a necessity. It was done in order to protect our land. The APHLC should refrain from supporting those illegal settlers and not to bring political colour out of it. The government land should be free from illegal settlers.”
Meanwhile, Simeon Rongphar said for a longtime, the KSA has been urging the KAAC to carry out eviction drive against illegal settlers in Karbi Anglong.
‘I want to urge all political parties, social organisations and various communities and tribes that the eviction drive was not intended to create disharmony, but against the land encroachers. The KSA and KSU want to appeal to the APHLC leader that in the name of eviction drive, it should not create division among us. We should instead support the KAAC in the eviction drive in flushing out land encroachers from any part of Karbi Anglong be it at Langkaijan or Khan basti. I also want to urge the KAAC authority to carry out eviction drive in other areas as well,’ Rongphar said.