Nagaland Chief Minister writes to his Assam counterpart over eviction notice

Dimapur, Jan. 8 (EMN): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has written a letter to his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma, requesting him to intervene in the eviction notice served to the Nagas living along the borders of Karbi Anglong, particularly Balijan ‘C’ Khan Basti, by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).

“I understand that the Naga residents of Balijan ‘C’ Khan Basti had purchased the land from the descendants of Lt. Hazi Manigul Khan who established the village in 1910, and have constructed permanent residential and commercial buildings as well as Churches on the land which is under their lawful possession for the last many decades,” read the letter dated January 6, 2022.

It said that majority of the residents are retired government employees who had invested their life-long savings in constructing their buildings. They are law-abiding citizens of KAAC and many are also availing welfare schemes such as ration card, job card and electricity provided by the Assam government, and their names are also enrolled in the electoral roll of the Election Commission of India, it added.

“In view of the above, carrying out eviction proceedings against them will be unfair and unjust. They will be rendered homeless and landless which will not only leave them in great hardship and mental trauma but may also result in unrest and law and order problems,” Rio wrote.

He has requested Sarma “to intervene and protect the lives and property of the Naga residents of Karbi Anglong in keeping with social justice and spirit of good neighbourly relations between the two states”.