Guwahati: In a significant political development, Congress MP Rakibul Hussain declared on July 10 that if the Opposition assumes power in Assam, all Indian citizens evicted from their lands across various districts during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule will receive due compensation and rehabilitation. This statement comes hot on the heels of a massive eviction drive carried out by the Assam government in Dhubri district just two days prior, aiming to clear approximately 3,500 bighas (1,160 acres) of land for a proposed power plant by the Adani Group.
Addressing a press conference in Nagaon, Hussain vehemently criticised the state government’s approach, alleging that the eviction drives have been conducted without adhering to the mandated 15-day prior legal notices, with many houses being demolished merely two to three days after notices were issued. He appealed to the government to immediately halt these “inhuman eviction” drives. The Congress MP highlighted several districts, including Dhubri, Goalpara, Lakhimpur, Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong, and Hojai, where such drives have reportedly taken place.
Hussain further assured the affected populace that a change in government would bring relief. “If the Congress comes to power, every evicted Indian citizen will be provided with proper compensation and a rehabilitation package. Also, the Adani Group will not be given any land in Assam to loot the state,” he asserted. He accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of orchestrating these evictions solely to “please” the Adani Group and the BJP-led central government.
In a strong move, the MP revealed that he has formally appealed to the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to register a suo motu case against the Assam government concerning these “unlawful activities” related to the ongoing eviction drives. Hussain also suggested that the Chief Minister’s actions stem from a fear of losing power in the upcoming 2026 assembly elections, resorting to “undemocratic” tactics to instill a “fear psychosis” among the people. He lamented that almost all sections of the greater Assamese society are being deprived of their constitutional and democratic rights, grappling with unemployment, soaring prices of essential commodities, and inadequate daily wages for tea garden labourers.
The recent eviction drive in Dhubri, impacting around 1,100 families in Charuwa Bakra, Chirakuta, and Santoshpur villages under Chapar circle, saw the clearing of land destined for the Adani Group’s proposed power plant. During the drive, alleged encroachers reportedly damaged excavators and attempted to attack police personnel, leading to baton-charges by security forces to disperse the crowd. It is noteworthy that Chief Minister Sarma had visited the site last month, announcing plans for a 3,400 MW thermal power plant and promising that a tender for the project would be floated soon.
Read More: Assam to Continue Eviction Drives, Over 25,000 Acres Cleared in Four Years