In India, an activist was remanded in custody after protesting against a hotel near Kaziranga
In the Indian state of Assam, activist Pranab Doli remains in custody despite a court ruling granting him bail. Doli, 40, was arrested several weeks after a June protest against the construction of a five-star hotel near Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On July 29, a court ordered Doli and four other protesters to be released on bail. However, on July 30, just as the activist was due to be released from jail, the Assam state government invoked the National Security Act against him, a law that allows for the prolonged detention of individuals without trial.
A government order seen by BBC News World lists 13 criminal cases filed against Doli since 2017. The document cites charges of participating in illegal assemblies, intimidation, obstruction, and violence, as well as alleged suspicious international money transfers and questions regarding the sources of funding for the activist’s trips abroad.
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Doli’s attorney, Mrityunjoy Pegu, stated that most of the older cases have already been closed, and only two remained pending prior to her latest arrest. Critics of the authorities’ actions believe the law was invoked to disrupt the protest against the hotel project.
The hotel is planned to be built on a 10-acre plot. Authorities claim that the land belongs to the state and that the project will attract investment, create jobs, and draw wealthier tourists. At the same time, dozens of families claim they have been farming this land for generations. Local resident Gita Gwala said her family has been farming 2.81 acres near the future hotel site and has receipts for land tax payments dating back to 1956.
During the protest on June 28, police claimed that participants entered the project site, damaged equipment, and attacked law enforcement officers, and that Doli allegedly incited the crowd. The activist’s organization denied these allegations and claimed that the police used force against the protesters. The judge who granted bail noted that the video footage did not corroborate several of the prosecution’s claims: the footage does not show a direct attack on police officers or an attempt to set construction equipment on fire. According to the court’s assessment, Doli was communicating with officials and attempting to resolve the situation through dialogue.
