Assam Government misused NSA to detain rights activist: Congress

The Congress on Sunday accused the Assam Government of misusing the National Security Act (NSA) after land rights activist Pranab Doley was detained under the preventive detention law a day after a district court granted him bail, alleging that the move was aimed at keeping him behind bars despite judicial relief.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh said the BJP-led government had invoked the NSA on July 30, a day after the 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.