Assam Police arrest 450 land brokers in crackdown against ‘Dalal Raj’

Earlier this month, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma complained to land revenue department officers about no land-related issues faced by commoners getting resolved without bribing brokers

Published on: Sep 21, 2021, 14:56:11 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Assam Police have arrested 453 land brokers in raids conducted across the state since Monday night as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government’s crackdown on ‘dalals’ or brokers operating in land revenue and circle offices.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said state will soon launch Mission Basundhara to help residents address several land-related issues. (PTI Photo)

The raids followed two weeks after chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told land revenue and circle officers to get rid of land brokers from their offices before October 3.

“On Monday night, Assam police rounded up nearly 450 land brokers from different parts of the state. We have a list of nearly 700 such persons involved in taking illegal commissions from common people and harassing them. We will try and get all of them by Tuesday evening,” Sarma said on Tuesday.

“I again warn government officials not to be in touch with these land brokers and help citizens without taking any bribes or through intermediaries. We want to change the existing system and put an end to ‘dalal raj’ (rule of brokers). I also request residents not to take help of brokers for any work,” he added.

Earlier this month, Sarma complained to land revenue department officers about no land-related issues faced by commoners getting resolved without bribing brokers.

Urging all officers to dispose of all pending files in their offices quickly, the CM informed that the government would launch Mission Basundhara, a scheme to help residents address their land-related issues like mutation, correction of names, sale permission, updating of records etc., from October.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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