Guwahati: Assam government has launched a massive eviction drive in Dhubri district to clear over 3500 bighas of land from illegal encroachment of Bangladeshi origin Muslims. The massive eviction drive—described as the largest in Assam’s history—unfolded on the morning of July 8 in the Bilasipara area of the district, where nearly 20,000 people were living in government land. The operation, carried out under tight security and direct orders from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is being executed to clear over 3,500 bighas of land—reportedly for a proposed thermal power project linked to industrial expansion plans.
District administration began the eviction drive from early morning of July 8 in Santoshpur, Charuabakhra, Chirakuta Part 1 and 2. But after few hours of the eviction drive the encroachers including women tried to attack the bulldozers used by the administration.
The magnitude of displacement is staggering, with approximately 2,000 families living illegally in the government land, being cleared from the site. Sources said that these people started encroaching the government land during the Congress regime before 2016.
Adding fuel to an already tense situation, left ideologist and Raijor Dal chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi arrived at the eviction site in Chapar on Tuesday afternoon. After he reached the eviction site the encroachers started shouting slogans against the administration and tried to resist the eviction drive. Police were forced to block hisbentry to the eviction site to control the boiling situation.
Officials said that after MLA Gogoi’s presence, the encroachers attacked two JCBs used for eviction and damaged it. Police had to resort to lathi charge to control the violent mob.
Shortly after, Gogoi was detained by the police, who claimed it was a preventive measure aimed at maintaining law and order. However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from left activists and minority organisations including opposition party Congress. “This land is being cleared for a thermal project that is reportedly being handed to the Adani Group.” alleged a local activist. But why do these people always encroach on government land is the question which the activist doesn’t have any answer. Despite initial claims by the administration of a peaceful operation, the situation on the ground tells a different story—police barricades and large numbers of police force were present at the eviction site to prevent any unwanted situations.
The eviction drive in Bilasipara is ongoing under full police protection. Additional security forces were deployed after the attempt of the encroachers to resist the drive. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier said that a series of massive drives will be carried out in Dhubri to clear thousands of bighas of government land encroached by suspected people.
