Guwahati: Families evicted from Silsako Beel have continued their protest, gathering once again at the Chachal protest site on Thursday. Their demands remain the same compensation and rehabilitation, which they claim the government promised at the time of their eviction.
Tensions escalated on Thursday after a woman protester, Gayatri Bori, was allegedly assaulted by a woman constable during the previous day’s demonstration. The protesters, mainly women, attempted to take their grievances to the Assam Legislative Assembly during its ongoing autumn session but were met with resistance. Bori has called for the immediate suspension of the constable involved, stating that the Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also oversees the Home Ministry, should apologize for the alleged mistreatment of peaceful protesters.
Since 2022, over 1,000 families have been evicted from the Silsako Beel area in a series of eviction drives aimed at clearing illegal encroachments to prevent artificial flooding in Guwahati. The first phase of the evictions occurred in May 2022, with subsequent phases in February and September of last year, during which around 120 bighas of land were cleared.
The protesters remain firm in their demands, highlighting the ongoing struggle for adequate compensation and a place to rebuild their lives.