Assam's Eviction Drive: Clearing Forest Land and Controversy Surrounding Encroachment

Eviction Operation in Goalpara District

Goalpara (Assam): On Sunday, the Assam government initiated an eviction campaign aimed at removing alleged encroachments from 1,140 bighas (over 376 acres) of forest land in the Goalpara district, impacting nearly 600 families, according to officials.

Prodip Timung, the District Commissioner of Goalpara, reported that the operation is proceeding "peacefully" to clear the encroached areas within the Dahikata Reserve Forest.

"Notices were issued over 15 days ago to the 580 families who had encroached upon the land, instructing them to vacate," he informed the media.

Timung noted that approximately 70% of the so-called "illegal settlers" have already vacated the premises following the notices, while the rest are in the process of leaving.

"Although we allocated two days for this eviction drive, we anticipate completing it today. So far, we have encountered no resistance, and we are in the process of demolishing the remaining structures on the encroached land," he added.

The District Commissioner mentioned that the administration has deployed sufficient security personnel and utilized numerous excavators and tractors during the operation.

"We have divided the area into five sections, and only in one section are some individuals still present. In the other sections, about 80% of the residents have departed," he stated.

Timung explained that this eviction initiative is being conducted in accordance with directives from the Gauhati High Court, which had previously heard three petitions related to the operation.

A senior official indicated that the majority of the alleged encroachers belong to the Bengali-speaking Muslim community.

Abdul Karim, one of those affected, argued that residents have lived in the area for decades.

"If we were truly encroachers, why would the government provide us with electricity, toilets, and other amenities? We possess Aadhaar cards and land documents, yet we are still treated as outsiders," he expressed.

M K Yadava, the Special Chief Secretary for Forests, asserted that the evicted land is part of an elephant corridor, and removing encroachments will help mitigate human-animal conflicts.

Since the Himanta Biswa Sarma administration took office in 2021, it has conducted multiple eviction operations targeting alleged encroachments, predominantly affecting the Bengali-speaking Muslim demographic.

On November 3, the Chief Minister of Assam reiterated that eviction efforts would persist, stating that "illegal Miyas" would not find peace under his governance.

The term 'Miya' is often used derogatorily to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, with non-Bengali speakers frequently labeling them as Bangladeshi immigrants.

In recent years, community activists have begun to reclaim this term as a form of resistance.

On July 21, the Chief Minister reported that 1.29 lakh bighas (over 42,500 acres) had been cleared of encroachments in the past four years, while approximately 29 lakh bighas (over 9.5 lakh acres) remain encroached in the state.

Sarma claimed that these extensive areas were occupied by "illegal Bangladeshis and doubtful citizens".