Rampant encroachment of Vaishnavite monasteries in Assam by Bangladeshi’s

32 monasteries occupied by Bangladeshi migrants

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080524/nation.htm#8

Guwahati, May 23
Notwithstanding a
directive from the Gauhati High Court, the Assam government has
hitherto done nothing to protect numerous Vaishnavite monasteries in
the state against rampant encroachment by “illegal Bangladeshi
migrants”.

Former director general of
national museum Rabin Deb Chaudhuri, who has joined a save Vaishnavite
monasteries (satras) led by NGO Himalaya Parivar, today informed that
there were about 900 such monasteries spread all over the state and out
of which at least 32 satras belonging to most popular Hindu religious
cult in the state had been encroached upon by illegal Bangladeshi
migrants.

Rabin said about
7,000 bighas belonging to 32 satras were now under the possession of
illegal Bangladeshi migrants, who enjoyed political patronage in the
state. “In some of these Vaishnavite satras illegal migrants have not
only grabbed land, but they also indulge in criminal activities like
theft, robbery, harassing women in these monasteries. Some head priests
of these satras were murdered along with their tribal disciples and all
these were aimed at scaring away the Vaishnavites from those areas.”

However,
the Gauhati High Court, responding to a writ petition, tried to come to
rescue of these monasteries by delivering a judgement saying respective
deputy commissioners and superintendents of police would be held
responsible for the security of these institutions and freeing satra
land from the encroacher.

In
another judgement, the Board of Revenue said people belonging to a
religion could not encroach upon land belonging to people of some other
religion. Unfortunately, the Assam government is sitting on both these
directives aimed at safeguarding the interests of Vaishnava monasteries
much to the chagrin of the cult of Hindus.

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