Assam opposition leader says unfair to target him over issue of two panchayats in Nazira constituency

Assam Leader of Opposition and Nazira constituency MLA Debabrata Saikia has said that it is unfair on part of certain groups to target him over parts of the Nazira sub-division being moved over to the Charaideo district as a result of the delimitation drive. 

Saikia today stated that certain groups stating that he has failed to preserve the historic Chairaideo Maidam within the boundaries of the Sivasagar district is not true as he had sought to prevent any such measures from happening by filing PILs and taking other such steps. 

Saikia, in this regard said that he had even filed PILs at the Gauhati High Court while trying to preserve the territorial integrity of the Sivasagar distirct and the Nazira sub-division in particular. 

Noteworthy is that back in December 2018, Saikia had filed writ petition at the High Court alleging arbitrary administrative control of 11 villages of Dhopabar Mouza by the Charaideo district instead of Nazira Sub Division. The High Court had also issued a notice to the Assam government back then in this regard. The petition had mentioned of the alleged arbitrary inclusion of the two Gaon Panchayats–Sukafa and Lengibor Gaon Panchayat comprising 11 villages of Dhopabar Mouza.

Saikia also mentioned that in 2022, he had raised the issue at the floor of the Assam Assembly where he had sought details of the demarcation of boundaries between the two districts of Sivasagar and Charaideo. He had also asked regarding the issue of the two village panchayats being included in Charaideo district. 

Replying to his queries in the Assembly, cabinet minister Ranjit Kumar Dass had replied that the matter regarding the boundary between the two districts is subjudice in the Gauhati High Court. The minister had also stated that the two village panchayats had been included under the Chairaido district for ease of administration. 

In this regard, Debabrata Saikia also stated today that he has been protesting the move of the government to include certain administrative work of Nazira sub-division under the Charaideo district. 

He also stated that the Chief Minister had stated that every constituency, under the delimitation drive, would be given a new sub-district, and under such an arrangement the historic Charaideo Maidam should remain under the Nazira assembly constituency. Saikia said here that for political gains he was made a scapegoat in this regard. 

Noteworthy is that in September 2023, Saikia pointed to his own constituency, Nazira, where a panchayat has been merged with the Sivasagar constituency, a move he claims is against the established laws governing delimitation. He also highlighted similar irregularities occurring in various regions throughout Assam. 

Debabrata Saikia concluded by saying that he has been making he has been making efforts and raising his voices with regards to ensuring the territorial integrity of Nazira sub-division and the inclusion of the Charaideo Maidam within the area, and that it is unfair fro certain groups and outfits to target him or blame him in this regard.