Eviction drives in Assam

Assam has a long history of conflicts and among which has been the anti-foreigner or anti-immigrant feeling that led to the anti-foreigners agitation spearheaded by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) during 1979-85 which eventually concluding in the 1985 Assam Accord. According to the Assam Accord, all foreigners who came to Assam on or after March 25, 1971, and stayed illegally would be detected and steps would be taken to deport them after deleting their names from electoral rolls. How far the Accord has been successful in this regard is a matter of debate. Out of the approximately 50 lakh suspected Bangladeshi-origin immigrants, Assam minister Atul Bora last year admitted that there are nearly 1.4 lakh illegal immigrants identified according to the Assam Accord so far and that authorities have deported around 30,000 of them. This issue pertaining to illegal cross border immigration is the stuff that makes politics in Assam as highly sensitive, volatile and as communally divisive as anything in the region. Even the IMDT Act of 1983 did little to address the apprehensions of the people. In 2016, the BJP came to power riding on these anti-immigrant sentiments. Soon afterwards, it initiated a series of eviction drives. Most evictions have taken place in districts where Muslims of Bengali origin are in a majority. Recent eviction drives in Assam have become more determined especially after the Himanta Biswa Sarma took over as chief minister of the BJP-led coalition. Though it may be a politically done thing for the BJP to target suspected Bangladeshi immigrants; yet the focus of the Himanta government to evict thousands who have settled within forest lands is another matter. The anti-encroachment drive in Assam has also comes nearer to Dimapur at the border area between Balijan (Karbi Anglong) and Dimapur (Nagaland). These eviction drives have aroused indignation among the affected people particularly residents living in Balijan C who claim that they have bought the plots from the descendents of Muligul Khan. Earlier last December 2021, the eviction drive carried in December last year involved 115 dwelling units, including concrete structures and makeshift huts spread across an area covering around 100 bighas of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) revenue land. As per Land Revenue department records of KAAC, a total of 210 bighas of government land had been occupied by doubtful individuals in the area. Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated that his government will continue with eviction drives in areas where the government and forest lands have been encroached upon, but that the government will also ‘survey’ lands available to resettle the evicted. A large number of those affected were Nagas who have settled in Balijan and who claim they had purchased the plots legally and have pattas issued by KAAC authorities. These settlers also claim they are genuine residents of Karbi Anglong and have papers to prove that and besides having their names included in electoral roll. Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio had also written a request letter to Sarma earlier, to consider those who have official land documents which were purchased legally. Despite the Gauhati High Court reportedly staying the eviction of some 30 residents till the case is heard on February 2, the eviction went ahead on January 30. It appears that KAAC has an unwritten policy to discourage Nagas (except Rengmas of Karbi Anglong) from buying land in Karbi Anglong as the former is clubbed under the bracket with illegal immigrants.