Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has raised the alarm over what he claims is a deliberate attempt to alter the demographic composition of Hindu-majority constituencies in the state. In a pointed statement shared on X, Sarma alleged that eviction drives have revealed a troubling pattern of encroachment by individuals migrating from distant districts into areas where the Assamese Hindu population is dominant.
“From our recent eviction experience, we have seen that people originally from districts 400 km away have encroached upon lands in predominantly Hindu constituencies. There is a concerted effort to change the demography of our constituencies,” Sarma wrote on the platform, prompting strong public and political reactions.
Speaking to the media after a fresh eviction drive in Assam’s Goalpara district, the Chief Minister expressed concern over migrants arriving from places like Barpeta and Bongaigaon. “Today, during the eviction in Goalpara, it was found that half the people are from Barpeta and Bongaigaon. If I’m landless, wouldn’t I first look for land in my own district?” he asked, hinting at a deeper political motive behind the relocations.
Sarma drew attention to similar trends observed during eviction drives in other parts of the state. He noted that during operations in Lakhimpur, many of the encroachers were reportedly from South Salmara and Karimganj, while in Gorukhuti, evictees were found to have moved to Chaygaon and Boko. “Why are these people consistently settling in districts where the majority population is Assamese?” he questioned.
The Chief Minister called for a comprehensive study to probe whether these migration patterns are driven by genuine economic hardship or part of a calculated strategy to shift electoral balances. “There needs to be a proper study to determine whether these people are coming due to poverty or whether someone is deliberately bringing them to these Assamese-majority constituencies to reduce the indigenous population to a minority,” he said.
The remarks have sparked sharp political debates across Assam, reigniting contentious discussions around land rights, identity, and demographic shifts in the state. Opposition parties and civil society groups are expected to weigh in heavily, with the issue likely to dominate the political narrative in the coming weeks.