Assam Land Encroachment Crisis — In a bold declaration that has reignited Assam’s political debate over land ownership, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that nearly 10 lakh acres of government and forest land in Assam are still under illegal occupation by what he described as “Bangladeshis and doubtful citizens.”
This sweeping statement came during a state event tied to the government’s eviction efforts and has stirred a fresh political storm both within Assam and nationally.
Assam Land Encroachment Crisis: Key Highlights
- 10 lakh acres of government land allegedly encroached
- Encroachers include “illegal Bangladeshis” and “doubtful citizens”
- Eviction and reclamation part of CM’s broader demographic and security campaign
- Opposition and human rights groups raise concern over profiling and displacement
Background: Land & Demographic Crisis
Assam has long been a state grappling with the challenges of undocumented migration, especially from neighbouring Bangladesh. The issue took center stage after the National Register of Citizens (NRC) update, which left over 19 lakh people out of the citizenship rolls in 2019. Many of them have since faced uncertainty and social marginalization.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, citing official surveys and police intelligence, said the encroachments were not isolated acts of poverty-driven settlement, but rather the result of what he called “coordinated demographic aggression.” According to the CM, many of the encroached lands are critical for forest conservation, agriculture, and tribal heritage protection.
Government Response
Since 2021, the Assam government has conducted large-scale eviction drives in districts like Darrang, Lakhimpur, and Sonitpur. In these drives, thousands of bighas of land have been cleared and handed over for farming projects, often under state-led schemes like the Gorukhuti Agriculture Project.
The Chief Minister reiterated that his government remains “fully committed to protecting Assam’s land, identity, and future.” He added that a large portion of the encroachers had settled in reserved forest areas, near wildlife zones, and in riverine ‘char’ lands—areas which are ecologically sensitive and demographically volatile.
Legal and Administrative Push
The government has initiated:
- Geo-tagging of state-owned lands for better tracking
- Deployment of drone surveillance over encroachment zones
- Formation of district-level eviction task forces
- Prioritization of disputed forest belts like Burhachapori and Laokhowa
- Land digitization and cadastral surveys using satellite data
CM Sarma mentioned that the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation will be amended, if necessary, to enable faster recovery of such encroached lands.
Opposition & Human Rights Concerns
While many in Assam have welcomed the government’s push to preserve land and cultural identity, critics argue that the method may lead to mass displacement and communal tension.
The opposition Congress, AIUDF, and civil rights organizations have questioned the sweeping use of labels like “illegal Bangladeshis” or “doubtful citizens,” warning that such language risks violating individual rights, especially of marginalized communities like the Bengali-speaking Muslims and tribals.
Human rights groups like the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) have raised the red flag about:
- Lack of due process in eviction notices
- Poor or absent rehabilitation packages
- Risk of targeting based on ethnicity or religion
- Legal ambiguity over citizenship and land rights
Environmental Impact
Apart from the demographic and political aspect, the issue also intersects with Assam’s environmental agenda. Forest officials have flagged illegal settlements inside elephant corridors and protected wetlands, which have led to rising cases of human-animal conflict.
The Assam Forest Department recently revealed that 29 lakh bighas (approx. 3.8 lakh acres) of forest land have been encroached upon in the past 25 years, leading to massive deforestation and biodiversity loss.
CM’s Remarks Spark Political Firestorm
Reacting to criticism from Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, who has accused the Assam government of “ethnic cleansing under the garb of law,” CM Sarma defended his actions:
“We are not fighting any community. We are fighting for Assam. This is not against religion or language. This is against infiltration and land theft.”
He also said that all actions are legally backed and subject to judicial oversight.
The Road Ahead
To tackle the issue comprehensively, the Assam government is expected to:
- File a white paper on land encroachments
- Create new rehabilitation colonies for evictees who can prove their Indian citizenship
- Launch a new portal where citizens can check their land ownership status
- Request Centre’s support for deploying paramilitary forces in sensitive eviction zones
External References
For more information and verification:
- Assam Land Records Portal: https://revenueassam.nic.in
- Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA): https://mha.gov.in
- Forest Survey of India (FSI): https://fsi.nic.in
- Assam Government Eviction Guidelines: https://assam.gov.in
- NHRC on Eviction Rights: https://nhrc.nic.in
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