Guwahati: In a stern declaration, Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah has promised decisive action against what he calls a rising influx of non-indigenous people and immigrants occupying forest land in and around the capital city. The minister warned that the persistent encroachment is not merely a land-use issue but a direct challenge to the state’s cultural identity and demographic stability.
Baruah minced no words, stating that the presence of these individuals is “altering the region’s demographic composition” and that their removal is essential for the survival of Assam’s indigenous population. “This needs to be done. Otherwise, the indigenous people of Assam will not remain due to changed demography,” he stated, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The minister’s statement arrives amidst an ongoing state-wide eviction campaign aimed at reclaiming protected forest areas. His comments find resonance within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has consistently voiced concerns over illegal immigration, particularly from Bangladesh. The Assam BJP has previously claimed that previous governments, specifically under the Congress, had allowed over 10 million people of Bangladeshi origin to settle in the state. The party has been unequivocal in its stance, asserting, “Their long-standing attempt to convert Assam into a Miya-land will never be allowed to succeed under any circumstances.” This sentiment was further amplified by the party’s chief spokesperson, Kishor Kumar Upadhyay, who expressed that the “aggression of East Bengal origin Muslims” poses a serious threat to the indigenous population in several districts.
The repercussions of Assam’s eviction drive are already being felt in neighboring Nagaland, where authorities are on high alert. Nagaland’s Director General of Police, Rupin Sharma, has confirmed that security forces have been mobilised to prevent any potential cross-border migration. Sharma acknowledged the possibility that individuals displaced by the eviction drive in Assam might attempt to enter Nagaland with their belongings. In response, the Nagaland Police have intensified border patrols and established new checkpoints to monitor and control any movement across the state lines, underscoring the regional implications of Assam’s decisive action against forest land encroachment.
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