Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has stirred fresh controversy with his latest remarks on the state’s ongoing eviction drives. In his address, he warned residents not to provide shelter to those evicted, many of whom are Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Speaking at an event in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) on Monday, Sarma said, “Our people are much more aware now. I don’t think they will cooperate much. I want the evicted people to return to their original homes. We have no objection to that. But our people should not shelter them. Otherwise, our improved situation will worsen again.”
While Sarma did not clarify who he meant by “our people,” government insiders suggest he was referring to all residents, excluding Bengali-speaking Muslims, whom the ruling BJP often labels as illegal migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.
The Chief Minister claimed that the state has so far freed over 1.29 lakh bighas (approximately 42,500 acres) of government land from alleged encroachers since May 2021, when he took office.
These evictions have taken place in several districts, including Dhubri, Goalpara, Lakhimpur, and Golaghat. He added that around 29 lakh bighas of land remain under illegal occupation, and more eviction drives are planned.
Sarma framed the evictions as part of a broader effort to protect the “jati” (community) and the interests of indigenous people.
He claimed that many of the evicted individuals already have land in their home districts but have encroached upon land in other areas as part of what he described as a “demographic invasion.”
Without directly naming any group, Sarma accused the alleged encroachers of various social ills. “By turning our forest into betelnut plantations and fisheries, they are harassing us. Who is doing love jihad? It is happening to us. Who has done land jihad? It is happening to us. We should be the ones crying, but they are shedding tears,” he said.
The Chief Minister also reiterated his earlier statement that no indigenous Assamese or Indian citizen would be evicted. He differentiated between encroachers and what he called the legitimate unauthorised occupation of land by indigenous people, which he said would not be treated as encroachment.
His statement came on the same day that the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), led by Badruddin Ajmal, staged a protest accusing the BJP-led state government of targeting Indian Muslims through eviction drives.
In a related development, Sarma also commented on the recent eviction in Uriamghat near the Assam-Nagaland border, clarifying that the Naga people and the Nagaland government had supported Assam’s actions. “There is no Naga aggression there,” he said.
As the state government continues its anti-encroachment policy, Sarma’s remarks have drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups who allege that the drive is communal and disproportionately affects Muslims of Bengali origin.
