Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said more than 1,700 acres of reserve forest land in Hojai district have been cleared of encroachments, asserting that illegal occupation of government land will not be tolerated under his administration.
Announcing the completion of an eviction drive at Jamuna-Moudanga Reserve Forest, the Chief Minister said 5,250 bighas, equivalent to 1,732.5 acres, were reclaimed through what he described as lawful and peaceful action.
“GAME OVER for illegal encroachment at Jamuna-Moudanga RF. Mission completed as 5,250 bighas reclaimed through peaceful, lawful & decisive action,” Sarma said in a post on X.
He issued a stern warning against future encroachments, adding, “No cheat codes needed. Consider this your warning: Illegal encroachment will NOT be tolerated.”
Since the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government assumed office in 2021, Assam has witnessed a series of eviction drives aimed at clearing alleged encroachments on government, forest, and grazing lands. These drives have largely targeted areas identified as reserve forests or protected land.
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Speaking to the media on New Year’s Day, the Chief Minister said eviction operations so far have reclaimed around 1,45,000 bighas, or approximately 47,850 acres, across the state.
The eviction policy has, however, drawn criticism from rights groups and opposition parties, who argue that the drives have disproportionately affected Bengali-speaking Muslim communities living in these areas.
On November 3 last year, Sarma reiterated that eviction drives would continue, stating that “illegal Miyas” would not be allowed to live in peace under his government.
The term ‘Miya’ is historically used as a pejorative reference to Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, who are often labelled as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh by non-Bengali-speaking communities. In recent years, sections of the community have reclaimed the term as an expression of resistance and identity.
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