Ukhrul, November 10: The Assam government on Sunday resumed its eviction drives in western Assam, targeting Dahikata Reserve Forest. Around 1,140 bighas (153 hectares) of land are being cleared, affecting 580 families.
Deputy Commissioner Prodip Timung said the operation is expected to last at least two days. “All the families were issued notices more than 15 days ago to vacate the area. Most left voluntarily,” he added, noting that no resistance was observed.
Security forces were deployed and several excavators used to remove illegal structures, following directives from the Gauhati High Court.
The affected people, mostly Bengali Muslims claimed they had been living in the area for decades and possessed land documents.
Forest officials emphasized that Dahikata is a reserve forest and a major elephant corridor, underlining the environmental rationale behind the drive.
This operation forms part of a larger anti-encroachment campaign since the BJP-led government, headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, assumed office in May 2021.
Sarma, speaking at a press conference after a cabinet meeting, highlighted demographic and economic changes in Assam. Citing government data from 2001 to 2011, he claimed the Hindu population growth has slowed while that of Muslims has risen across all blocks.
He also suggested that increasing economic prosperity among Muslims could signal the “surrender of the Assamese people,” according to his remarks.
Previous drives have sparked controversy. In 2022, the Goalpara Lawyers’ Association cautioned the government against evicting residents from Paikan Reserve Forest without settling forest rights, noting that erosion along the Brahmaputra had displaced thousands.
Earlier this year in July, one person was killed and several others, including policemen, were injured during evictions in Paikan.
Families evicted from Rengma Reserve Forest have stated they were settled there by past governments to safeguard the Assam–Nagaland border, highlighting the presence of schools, electricity, and PM Awas Yojana houses in the area.
According to statements made by Sarma in July, the government has continued with evicting encroachers from more than 42,500 acres of land since 2021, and over 9.5 lakh acres remains to be cleared.