Congress urges CM to sack Minister Singhal over land-grab row near Zubeen Khetra

Guwahati, Nov 4: Leader of Opposition (LoP) Debabrata Saikia has urged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to remove Cabinet Minister Ashok Singhal over fresh allegations of land grabbing in a protected tribal belt area near Zubeen Kshetra in Sonapur.

Addressing the press on Tuesday, Saikia said the Chief Minister must demonstrate a "zero-tolerance stance" on corruption by dropping Singhal from the Cabinet and initiating a thorough investigation.

“The Chief Minister shouldn’t allow Ashok Singhal to remain in the Cabinet. He must appoint a Chief Secretary-led committee and make it clear that his government will not tolerate any corruption. There are several instances pointing to corrupt practices linked to Singhal,” Saikia alleged.

He further claimed that the Health Minister has been repeatedly involved in "questionable" land dealings.

“If Singhal indeed owns land there, it is a matter of grave concern. Earlier, he tried to take over land belonging to the Dhekiajuli Mahila Committee in his wife’s name, and later dismissed it as a mistake. He even registered himself under the Orunodoi scheme and later said that too was an error. Now, reports suggest he has acquired land in a non-surveyed tribal belt, which is unacceptable,” Saikia added.

The senior Congress leader also stressed on the need for land reforms in the state, urging the government to ensure that land ownership remains restricted to local families who have been settled in Assam for generations.

“We believe land should not be sold to anyone with money. Only families who have lived in Assam for at least three generations should be eligible to buy land here. Otherwise, we will lose our cultural and demographic identity,” he asserted.

Earlier on Monday, Chief Minister Sarma had distanced himself from the controversy, stating that he had “no knowledge” of Minister Singhal owning land in Sonapur.

“It is not my duty as the Chief Minister to monitor who owns which plot of land,” Sarma had told the press in Jamugurighat, Sonitpur.

The controversy erupted last week after reports surfaced alleging that Minister Singhal had purchased land in a protected tribal belt near Guwahati.

The issue has since sparked widespread political debate, with the opposition accusing the government of shielding corruption within its ranks.