Day After Bail, Assam Invokes NSA on Activist Pranab Doley
The Assam government has invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against land rights activist Pranab Doley, a day after a local court in Golaghat granted him bail. Doley was arrested on July 12 in connection with a protest against a proposed luxury hotel project at Inglay Pathar, adjacent to the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
The NSA order, served on Doley, states that his activities are “prejudicial to the maintenance of public order as well as security of the state”. The authorities have not yet disclosed the specific grounds on which the detention order was based.
Doley, a prominent indigenous and land rights activist, has been leading protests for years against the hotel project. The June 28 protest, which led to his arrest along with four others, was part of a sustained campaign by local residents and activists. They argue that the construction in the eco-sensitive zone around Kaziranga could have a severe ecological impact, including on the habitat of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, and could also result in the displacement of indigenous villagers from their traditional lands.
The National Security Act, 1980, is a preventive detention law that allows authorities to detain a person for up to twelve months without a trial, provided the detaining authority is satisfied that the person's activities pose a threat to public order or national security. Under the law, an advisory board comprising High Court judges must review the detention order within seven weeks and give its opinion. The detenu has the right to make a representation against the detention, although the grounds of detention may be withheld if the state considers it necessary in the interest of national security.
The Assam government has justified the move, saying that Doley's activities were prejudicial to public order. The state has also maintained that the proposed hotel, located on the southern boundary of Kaziranga, would boost tourism and create employment opportunities in the region. However, opponents of the project, including Doley, have contended that the development violates environmental norms and undermines the rights of indigenous communities who have lived in the area for generations.
The timing of the NSA order – coming just a day after the court granted bail – has drawn attention. The move raises questions about the use of preventive detention in cases of environmental and land rights activism. It is not yet known whether the NSA has been invoked against the four other activists arrested in connection with the June 28 protest. Authorities have not commented on this.
Doley's legal team and family are expected to challenge the detention order in court. Legal experts note that while the NSA grants wide powers to the executive, the Supreme Court has consistently held that such detention orders are subject to judicial review. The detenu can also file a habeas corpus petition. The case is being closely watched as it underscores the balance between ensuring public order and safeguarding the constitutional right to peaceful protest and dissent.
Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the most ecologically sensitive areas in India. The controversy over the hotel project has become a flashpoint for larger debates about development, conservation, and the rights of indigenous people. Doley's detention marks a significant development in this ongoing dispute, and the coming legal proceedings will determine whether the NSA order withstands judicial scrutiny.
