Guwahati, Assam: Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has lodged a strong complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), alleging that the Assam government is orchestrating systemic and unlawful eviction drives that violate constitutional and human rights. His letter outlines numerous instances of forced displacement, claiming that indigenous, tribal, minority, and erosion-affected communities are being rendered homeless under the guise of development, with inadequate rehabilitation.
Saikia’s appeal highlights that communities with deep historical ties to Assam, including Boro, Karbi, Garo, Ahom, Assamese Hindus, Bengali Muslims, and tea tribe populations, have been disproportionately affected. He argues that these evictions are not only unlawful but also a betrayal of Assam’s multi-ethnic heritage. “These communities are being driven out of their lands, some of which they have inhabited for generations, without due process or legal safeguards,” Saikia stated in his letter to the NHRC.
A significant incident cited is the July 8 eviction in Dhubri district, where approximately 10,000 Bengali Muslim residents were displaced from over 1,100 acres for a solar power project by Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL). Saikia noted that these displaced individuals were relocated to flood-prone areas, and the project itself is currently under judicial review in the Gauhati High Court. He further alleged that this demolition violated the Supreme Court’s ruling in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 295 of 2022, which mandates strict procedural safeguards before such actions.
The Congress leader also referred to the 2024 eviction in Katchutali, Sonapur, where two villagers were killed and 33 injured due to police firing during a clearance drive in a tribal-designated area. Another case from Mikir Bamuni, Nagaon, between 2019 and 2024, involved the alleged destruction of farmland for another solar project, reportedly violating both environmental and tenancy laws.
One of the most serious accusations in Saikia’s letter concerns the alleged illegal diversion of forest land in Sivasagar and Hailakandi districts. He claimed that then forest official M.K. Yadava permitted the construction of a commando battalion camp without the necessary central government approvals, which constitutes a violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. While the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reportedly ordered legal proceedings, Saikia emphasized that the damage to protected forest land is irreversible.
Saikia’s letter also points to evictions in Sixth Schedule tribal areas such as Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills, and Kokrajhar, where Gram Sabha consultations were allegedly bypassed, violating constitutional protections and tribal autonomy laws. He highlighted the displacement of over 10,000 people in Hawaipur and Phuloni, and the contentious transfer of 9,000 bighas in Umrongso for a private cement company project, both reportedly executed without community approval.
Several instances were documented where vulnerable families were evicted without warning or resettlement: 93 families, including erosion victims, were removed from Bakrikuchi (Nalbari) on June 30; 7,000 were evicted from wetland areas in Goalpara; and 220 families, including Christian tribal families with PMAY-G housing, were evicted from Lakhimpur in July. Additionally, ongoing evictions in Alomganj Gaon under the “Advantage Assam 2.0” industrial initiative are affecting Muslims and erosion-hit communities. Saikia further accused the administration of targeting Christian tribal converts, in alleged violation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The Congress leader cited key constitutional articles, including Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 21 (Right to Life and Livelihood), and referenced landmark Supreme Court judgments such as Chameli Singh v. State of U.P. and Francis Coralie Mullin v. The Administrator, to assert that the right to shelter and dignity are fundamental and inviolable. He also noted India’s obligations under international conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), which mandate the protection of housing and livelihood rights.
Calling the government’s conduct “inhumane and unconstitutional,” Saikia urged the NHRC to immediately launch an inquiry under its powers outlined in the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. He warned that such unchecked evictions threaten the democratic fabric of the state and risk turning Assam into “an authoritarian regime devoid of legal accountability.”
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