Assam govt misuses NSA to detain rights activist: Congress
New Delhi (KMS): In India, the Congress has accused the BJP-led Assam government of misusing the National Security Act (NSA) to detain land rights activist Pranab Doley, alleging the move was aimed at keeping him behind bars despite judicial relief.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Congress general secretary in-charge communications and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh said the NSA was invoked on July 30, a day after a Sessions Court granted Doley bail, calling it a “blatant misuse” of preventive detention laws and an instance of state overreach.
Doley was arrested on July 12 in connection with a criminal case registered at the Bokakhat police station following protests against the proposed construction of luxury hotels near Kaziranga National Park. He had opposed the alleged allocation of land at Ingle Pathar in Hatikhuli, Kaziranga, claiming that land had been reclassified and allotted to a hospitality company.
According to Ramesh, Doley had been supporting indigenous villagers in Golaghat who have opposed the proposed five-star resort project since 2022. The Congress said the detention under NSA reflects the BJP government’s intolerance towards dissent and its attempt to criminalize peaceful protests by rights activists and indigenous communities.
