A group of citizens gathered in Bokakhat town of Assam's Golaghat district on Saturday (September 5, 2026) with a single, urgent demand: free Pranab Doley. The 40-year-old land rights activist is being held under the National Security Act (NSA) after opposing the government's alleged move to evict indigenous farmers near Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve — land protesters say is meant for a luxury hotel and other projects.
Key facts
- The BJP-led Assam government slapped the NSA on Mr. Doley on July 30, more than a fortnight after arresting him.
- He had secured bail in an earlier case before the NSA was invoked.
- The protest took place in Bokakhat, in Golaghat district, close to Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
- State Congress leaders, including Debabrata Saikia and Ripun Bora, backed the demand for his release.
Locked doors, rising anger
The protest ran into resistance before it even began. Demonstrators said local authorities locked the auditorium of a tribal rest house where their meeting had been scheduled — despite administrative clearance being granted and rent paid. Forced to shift to an adjacent site, the gathering's frustration spilled into the surrounding area, triggering resentment among locals.
“Can never be construed as treason”
State Congress leaders joined the protest and threw their weight behind the call for Mr. Doley's release. Congress leader and former MLA Debabrata Saikia criticised the State government's “autocratic tendencies”, saying the ruling dispensation was undermining the Constitution of India and using the police and administrative machinery to intimidate the public.
“Standing up for the rights of the working class and defending one's ancestral land can never be construed as treason.”
Mr. Saikia pointed out that Mr. Doley had secured bail in an earlier case before he was slapped with the NSA “on unfounded charges of anti-national activity”. He accused the administration of stripping citizens of their fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution.
An alleged pattern of displacement
Mr. Saikia drew a pointed parallel with the displacement of indigenous people at Mikir Bamuni Grant in Nagaon district for Azure Power's solar project. A similar pattern, he warned, is now unfolding in Kaziranga's Englepathar — this time to facilitate a luxury hotel within the Eco-Sensitive Zone of the one-horned rhino habitat.
He further criticised the government for allegedly bypassing the compensation mandates of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013, by offering inadequate payouts from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
Fellow Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora was equally blunt, criticising the BJP-led government for a “persistent design to transfer indigenous landholdings to capitalists” from outside Assam.
How the case unfolded
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| July 30 | NSA invoked against Pranab Doley, more than a fortnight after his arrest |
| September 5, 2026 | Citizens protest in Bokakhat demanding his release |
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