Gauhati HC schools Assam govt over allotment of 3,000 bighas of tribal land to private firm
Asks, "Are you giving an entire district? Is this a joke?"
Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has strongly criticised the Assam government’s decision to allot nearly 3,000 bighas of tribal land in Dima Hasao district to a private cement company, Mahabal Cements, for mining operations. The court emphasised that public interest should take precedence over private gains.
During a recent hearing, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi expressed astonishment at the land allocation, saying, “3,000 bighas! The entire district? What is going on? A private company being given 3,000 bighas? We know how barren the land is, but 3,000 bighas? What kind of decision is this? Is this some kind of joke? Public interest, not private interest, is what matters.”
The observations came after arguments presented on behalf of the company, which claimed that the land was barren and essential for operating its cement plant.
The allotment has drawn criticism from opposition parties and local groups. Earlier, a Congress delegation, led by then state unit president Bhupen Kumar Borah and current Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, met the Governor to raise concerns on behalf of indigenous communities from Borolokhindong, Tharvelangso, and nearby villages.
In a memorandum, the Congress alleged that the government was preparing to hand over nearly 9,000 bighas in Dima Hasao to corporate interests with close links to the ruling BJP, disregarding the rights and sentiments of tribal communities. “This is not just a land issue. It’s about survival and safeguarding the identity of Dima Hasao’s indigenous people,” the memorandum stated.
Reacting to the court’s comments, Assam Congress accused the BJP government of “blatant crony capitalism,” highlighting the alleged favouritism shown to private corporations. In a post on X, the party said, “Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma handed over 3,000 bighas (81 million sq ft) of tribal land to Adani for a cement factory. The BJP government’s actions shamelessly hand over the country’s resources to corporate allies, while the poor are left to struggle.”
The Adani Group on Monday, however, dismissed reports that it has been allotted land by the Assam government for a cement plant in the state, terming them baseless, false, and misleading.
"It has come to our notice that certain news reports, social media posts and clips from court hearings are being circulated, claiming that the Assam government has allotted 3,000 bighas in Dima Hasao to the Adani Group for a cement plant,” the Adani Group spokesperson said.
"We categorically state that these reports and references are baseless, false and misleading. Linking the Adani name to Mahabal Cement is mischievous. Mahabal Cement is not related to, owned by or connected with the Adani Group in any manner whatsoever," the spokesperson clarified according to IANS.
This will blow your mind 🤯🔥
— Ankit Mayank (@mr_mayank) August 17, 2025
Assam BJP Govt gave 3,000 bigha (81 million sqft) to Adani to build a cement factory 🤯
Even the HC Judge got shocked — “Is this a joke? Are you giving an entire district?”
Himanta needs to go to jail, his end is coming 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8WgifsLItO
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
