The Adani Group has dismissed as “false and misleading” media reports and social media claims suggesting that it had been allotted 3,000 bighas of land in Assam’s Dima Hasao district for a cement project.
In an official statement, the company clarified that it has no connection whatsoever with Mahabal Cement, the private firm at the centre of the controversy. “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,” a spokesperson said. The group further urged media outlets and the public to verify information before circulating unsubstantiated claims.
Court Slams Land Allocation to Private Firm
The controversy erupted after the Gauhati High Court strongly criticised the Assam government’s decision to allocate nearly 3,000 bighas of tribal land to Mahabal Cement for mining operations in Dima Hasao. During the hearing, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi voiced alarm over the size of the allotment.
“3,000 bighas! The entire district? What is going on? A private company (Mahabal Cements) 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 judge remarked.
The company, in its defence, argued that the land in question was barren and necessary for running its cement operations.
Opposition Voices Indigenous Concerns
Opposition parties have long raised objections to the land allocation, citing the rights and livelihoods of tribal communities in the region. A Congress delegation led by Bhupen Kumar Borah, then Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president, and current Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, had previously petitioned the Governor against the move.
In their 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 party. “This is not just a land issue. It’s about survival and safeguarding the identity of Dima Hasao’s indigenous people,” the note emphasised.
Political Fallout Over ‘Crony Capitalism’
Following the court’s sharp observations, the Assam Congress renewed its attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government, accusing it of favouring corporate houses. In a post on X, the party alleged: “Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma handed over 3,000 bigha (81 million sqft) of tribal land to Adani for a cement factory… The BJP government’s actions scream of blatant crony capitalism, as they shamelessly hand over the country’s resources to Modi’s mitra Adani, while the poor are left to struggle.”
The Adani Group, however, has rejected any connection to the case, reiterating that it is not linked in any way to Mahabal Cement.
