On Sunday, the Assam government conducted an eviction drive in the Biswanath district, resulting in the displacement of 309 families from land designated as a grazing reserve. The operation aimed to clear approximately 23 hectares (175 bigha) of encroached land within the Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) located in Japariguri.

According to officials, the eviction process commenced in the morning. District Commissioner Simanta Kumar Das stated that the drive was carried out peacefully. Prior to the eviction, notices were issued on August 1st, instructing residents to vacate the area within 15 days. Many families had already left and dismantled their homes in response to the notices. The remaining structures, including a tea garden that had been established in the area, were demolished.

Approximately 600 security personnel were deployed to maintain order during the eviction, along with 20 excavators and numerous tractors to carry out the demolition. Authorities indicated that the cleared land would be used for an afforestation project.

While officials reported that the majority of those evicted were from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community, the eviction has sparked controversy. Kuddus Ali Sarkar, the General Secretary of the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU), visited the site and denounced the operation as "inhuman," demanding that the government ensure rehabilitation for those displaced before proceeding with further evictions.

Conversely, several ethnic organizations have voiced their support for the evictions, associating them with the 'Miya Kheda Andolan,' a movement advocating for the removal of alleged encroachers. The term "Miya," once a derogatory term for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, has been adopted by some activists within the community as a symbol of defiance.

In his Independence Day address, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the demographic changes occurring in lower and central Assam due to "aggression," and indicated that similar efforts were underway in upper and north Assam. Similar eviction drives have been conducted in Assam in recent years, including operations in Darrang's Dholpur in 2021, as well as in the Hojai and Nagaon districts, often triggering protests.