Assam: AIUDF leaders detained during protest against eviction drive in Dhubri

The eviction drive in Assam's Dhubri district took a tense political turn on Thursday, July 10 as the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) launched a massive protest against the government’s land clearance operation. The agitation, which blocked National Highway 17, resulted in the detention of several senior AIUDF leaders, including nine sitting MLAs, by police personnel in Bilasipara.

The protest was primarily staged in the Chapar revenue circle, covering the villages of Charuabakra, Santoshpur, and Chirakuti Part-I & II, where locals have been resisting eviction for days. The drive aims to reclaim government land for a proposed thermal power project, but the move has sparked widespread unrest.

In recent days, the eviction process reportedly turned violent in some pockets, prompting heavy police deployment. On Thursday, AIUDF leaders led a large group of demonstrators onto the highway, bringing traffic to a standstill and triggering immediate police intervention.

Aminul Islam, AIUDF MLA from Mankachar, condemned the crackdown on protestors, stating, “The police wants to silence AIUDF leaders and workers, but our party will always stand by the people and speak out against injustice.”

The detentions signal a hardening of the administration's stance amidst mounting political pressure. The blockade of a key transportation route further intensified the situation, disrupting normalcy in the area.

The AIUDF has long criticized the eviction measures, alleging that the operations disproportionately target marginalized communities and are carried out without proper resettlement plans. The state government, however, defends the drive as necessary for clearing encroachments and executing crucial public infrastructure projects.