Nava Thakuria
(Asian independent) If not illegal, something unusual happened, as Assam government invoked the National Security Act (NSA, 1980) against an indigenous land rights activist merely some hours after the local court granted bail to Pranab Doley. Arrested on 13 July 2026 following his detention from a Guwahati locality in connection with a case lodged at Bokakhat police station (case no. 108/2026), the young activist was granted bail by the Golaghat district court. Besides Pranab, four other imprisoned activists (Amit Nag, Brijit Kutum, Bhaskar Saikia and Rajib Pegu) also offered bail on 29 July. But surprisingly, the government invoked preventive detention to Pranab without trials for some more months.
Pranab, who faces various charges including criminal conspiracy/ intimidation, unlawful assembly, rioting, criminal trespass, obstruction of public servants, intimidation, etc under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, has been leading a series of protests against a luxury tourism venture near Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The authorities had recently allotted around 30 bighas of land for the project at Inglay/Inle Pathar in Hatikhuli area near the UNESCO world heritage site. The handing over the land to Assam Tourism Development Corporation sparked the debate followed by a series of protest demonstrations. The activist alleged that over 60 bighas of agricultural and community grazing land were recently reclassified without proper public consultations. Claiming that the project would negatively impact on the environment and traditional rights of indigenous families, who have been cultivating there for generations, Pranab organised a demonstration on 29 June at the site, which promoted a police complaint at Bokakhat under Golaghat district for the convener of Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee.
A global outrage was observed following Pranab’s initial arrest and the trend repeated after his NSA detention also. Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) strongly condemned the NSA invocation against Pranab arguing that ‘the use of preventive detention laws against a democratic activist defending the rights of indigenous communities represents a dangerous escalation in the state’s assault on democratic dissent’. Earlier, a group of 60 Indian civil societies, organisations, trade unions, and concerned citizens condemned the prolonged detention of Pranab and urged the authorities ‘to put an end to the criminalisation of communities defending their land, livelihoods and environment’. Many Left parties also jointly demonstrated in Assam against Pranab’s NSA detention and demanded his unconditional release. The prime opposition Congress party also joined the chorus of protest against Pranab’s prolonged detention. Congress’s national leader Jairam Ramesh denounced the Assam government for its misuse of preventive detention laws under vogue and suspicious reasons like suspicious foreign transactions in violation of existing laws.
The indigenous communities around Kaziranga have been opposing the transfer of their lands for commercial and tourism projects for years. The proposed luxury hotel in Hathikuli near Kohora range of Kaziranga forest reserve, presumably an elephant corridor, may emerge as a destructive model of development, argued the group, adding that at a time when the world, including India, faces higher vulnerability and risk of disasters, environmental and climate crises, it becomes very important to raise public voices. Moreover, when the Adivasi and indigenous communities assert their rights to protect the land, environment and natural resources, they should not be treated as enemies to the nation.
Save Kaziranga campaign also asked the authorities to review Pranab’s detention under the draconian NSA with due process and judicial oversight. It pointed out that Kaziranga does not remain a mere tourist destination, but a globally recognized home for a number of rare species with its sensitive wildlife ecosystem and also communities living alongside the forest reserve for generations. But Kaziranga has lately faced a growing pressure from large-scale tourism as well as infrastructure projects and the proposed Hathikuli hotel raises serious concerns over the indigenous families’ land rights and livelihoods along with the impact on Kaziranga eco-sensitive zone.
It’s assumed that a high-end hospitality project near Kaziranga would enhance employment generation and business opportunities to the local people, but if a large section of them opposes such an endeavour concerning their land, livelihood and overall environment, the authority should look into it seriously. Moreover, a peaceful protest-demonstration by the aggrieved individuals must not generate the authority’s vindictive response in any form.
