Congress slams Assam government’s use of NSA against land rights activist
The Congress party has accused the Assam government of misusing the National Security Act to detain land rights activist Pranab Doley. The detention occurred shortly after Doley was granted bail, sparking allegations of political overreach and suppression of dissent.
Why it matters
This case highlights ongoing tensions regarding the use of preventive detention laws in India and the balance between state security and democratic civil liberties.
The Congress on Sunday (August 2, 2026) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Assam of misusing the National Security Act (NSA) to detain land rights activist Pranab Doley after he was granted bail, alleging that the move was an attempt to suppress democratic dissent.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the Assam government invoked the NSA against Mr. Doley on July 30, a day after a district court granted him bail. He described the detention as a “blatant misuse” of preventive detention laws and an overreach by the State.
The Congress communications chief said Mr. Doley had been arrested for supporting villagers protesting against a proposed five-star resort near Kaziranga National Park, a project backed by the Assam Chief Minister.
He alleged that indigenous residents of Golaghat had been opposing the project since 2022, claiming that their land had been forcibly acquired.
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