---
title: "Congress Denounces Assam’s Use of NSA to Re-arrest Land Activist Pranab Doley"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/congress-denounces-assam-s-use-of-nsa-to-re-arrest-land-activist-pranab-doley-zq50e
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: India
published: 2026-08-02T12:54:55.000Z
modified: 2026-08-02T17:01:28.045Z
language: en-IN
---

# Congress Denounces Assam’s Use of NSA to Re-arrest Land Activist Pranab Doley

Opposition leaders allege the BJP-led government is using preventive detention laws to bypass judicial bail orders and silence protests over a Kaziranga resort project. Activist Pranab Doley remains in custody under the National Security Act despite a court mandate for his release.

## Key takeaways

- Assam authorities invoked the National Security Act against Pranab Doley on July 30, just one day after a court granted him bail.
- Doley was originally arrested for supporting Golaghat residents protesting land acquisition for a luxury resort near Kaziranga National Park.
- Jairam Ramesh alleged the detention relies on vague claims of suspicious foreign transactions to bypass the judiciary's authority.
- Congress leaders claim the use of the NSA against activists follows a broader pattern of stifling democratic dissent in BJP-led states.

## Legal Maneuvering Circumvents Judicial Bail Order

The Congress party leveled sharp criticisms against the Assam government on August 2, 2026, following the detention of land rights activist Pranab Doley under the National Security Act (NSA). The state invoked the stringent law on July 30, a mere 24 hours after a district court had granted Doley bail. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh characterized the move as a deliberate attempt to neutralize judicial decisions and prolong incarceration through state overreach.

The controversy centers on ongoing local opposition to a proposed five-star resort situated near Kaziranga National Park. Residents of Golaghat have resisted the development since 2022, alleging the government forcibly acquired indigenous land to facilitate the project. According to Ramesh, Doley's arrest stems directly from his advocacy for these villagers against a development backed by the Assam Chief Minister.

## Judicial Warnings and Allegations of State Overreach

In his critique, Ramesh highlighted specific language from the Sessions Court's bail order, which noted that criminal law should not be deployed to stifle legitimate local anxieties when ecological preservation and indigenous survival collide. The Congress leadership maintains that the NSA detention order relies on speculative claims, such as "suspicious foreign transactions," a narrative Ramesh described as a recurring tactic used to delegitimize activists.
- Date of NSA invocation: July 30, 2026.
- Primary grievance: Suppression of dissent regarding land acquisition in Golaghat.
- Legal precedent: The Supreme Court and various High Courts have previously warned against using preventive detention to bypass bail.

### Broader Patterns of Dissent Suppression

The political fallout extended to remarks by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, who linked Doley's situation to previous threats by the Chief Minister to apply the NSA in unrelated cultural disputes, including a mural of the late singer Zubeen Garg. Ramesh further argued that the use of such extraordinary measures is part of a growing trend across BJP-governed states, citing similar instances involving labor activists in Uttar Pradesh. The party contends these actions demonstrate a systematic disregard for democratic norms and the rule of law.

Source: The Hindu — National

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/congress-denounces-assam-s-use-of-nsa-to-re-arrest-land-activist-pranab-doley-zq50e
Reported from: The Hindu — National