The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) has strongly condemned the arrest of indigenous rights activist Pranab Doley by the Assam Police, alleging that he was targeted for opposing major development projects in the state.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the organisation claimed that Doley's arrest was linked to his opposition to the proposed Hyatt luxury hotel project at Ingle Pathar near Kaziranga National Park, as well as his earlier campaign against a proposed 1,000 MW solar park in Karbi Anglong. The solar project had earlier received loan approval of USD 434.25 million from the Asian Development Bank before it was dropped.
According to IWGIA, Doley was picked up from Sundarpur in Guwahati on July 12 in connection with a case registered at Bokakhat Police Station on June 29 over protests against the proposed Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) hotel project. He was later taken to Golaghat, formally arrested on July 13, and remanded to seven days of police custody by the Bokakhat District Court.
The organisation alleged that Doley, who is the convenor of the Karbi Anglong Solar Power Project Affected People's Rights Committee, had been raising concerns over land diversion and alleged irregularities in project assessments carried out by consultants and officials associated with the ADB.
IWGIA claimed that the arrest was an attempt to suppress his human rights advocacy and peaceful protests. It further alleged that the case registered against him was "false" and linked to demonstrations he led against the proposed Hyatt hotel project, which, it claimed, could displace indigenous and local communities in the area.
Referring to the ongoing legal proceedings, the organisation said the matter is currently pending before the Gauhati High Court. On June 1, the court heard a petition filed by 20 Adivasi families, some of whom work as daily wage labourers in nearby tea gardens, and issued notices to the ATDC, seeking its response within four weeks.
Describing the seven-day police custody as "disproportionate", IWGIA urged the Assam government to release Doley immediately. There was no immediate response from the Assam Police or the state government to the allegations at the time of filing this report.
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