Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asserted his government's commitment to ending what he describes as an "invasion" by people of "one religion" who are allegedly encroaching on land to alter the state's demography. Sarma claims that indigenous communities are facing this "invasion," with alleged encroachment occurring in various parts of Assam.
Sarma's comments came during a press conference where he highlighted the eviction drives undertaken by his government since May 2021. According to Sarma, over 1.19 lakh bighas (approximately 160 square kilometers) of land have been cleared in these drives, affecting around 50,000 people. He frames these eviction drives as a crucial step towards curbing attempts by migrants to establish a political foothold in Assamese-majority areas.
While the Chief Minister did not explicitly name the religion of those allegedly involved, it is understood that he was referring to Bengali-speaking Muslims. Sarma alleges that these individuals migrate from different parts of the state and enroll as voters in their new locations, eventually forming substantial vote banks that political leaders are hesitant to act against. He also claimed that the Congress party has been patronizing these encroachers and that the votes secured by Congress have increased along with the demographic changes taking place in those areas.
Sarma characterized the alleged encroachment as not just a "land jihad" but a "jihad to finish off the Assamese people". He asserted that after demographic shifts in lower and middle Assam, a similar pattern is emerging in upper Assam. He urged the indigenous population not to rent out their properties or employ people from the "one religion" and to start doing their own work.
The Chief Minister dismissed the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as a solution to demographic invasion, stating that demography is a social science issue, not a legal one. Instead, he emphasized the need for a strong government and leadership to carry out evictions and prevent land grabs.
