'Congress ignored indigenous sentiments for vote bank': Assam CM on satra land encroachment

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday alleged that the previous Congress government's appeasement of illegal immigrants led to massive encroachment of over 13,000 bighas (more than 4,300 acres) of 'Satra' (Vaishnavite monastery) land in the state.

He affirmed the BJP-led ruling dispensation's commitment to reclaim the land for these Vaishnavite monasteries.

"The Congress Govt ignored sentiments of the indigenous people while pandering to their illegal immigrant vote bank, which led to 922 Satra lands being encroached upon, Sarma said in a post on X.

He said thousands of bighas of Satra land have been encroached across major centres, including 7,137 bighas (2,355.21 acres) in Barpeta, 2,583.79 bighas (852.66 acres) in Nagaon, 2,757.39 bighas 909.94 acres) in Bajali and 896.76 bighas (295.94 acres) in Lakhimpur.

"We are on a mission to reclaim them," the chief minister asserted.

Sarma had earlier this month announced that the government will set up a permanent 'Satra Aayog' to look after the welfare of these Vaishnavite monasteries located across the state.

At a meeting of the temporary Satra Aayog formed to study the issues of these historic institutions, Sarma said the permanent body of the Aayog will work to lend sustainability to the Satras.

The Aayog, formed on November 24, 2021, with AGP MLA Pradip Hazarika as its chairman and BJP MLAs Mrinal Saikia and Rupak Sarma as its members, visited 126 satras and examined the existing problems there and gave several recommendations in the report. (PTI)