Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday asserted that his government had successfully removed illegal encroachments from the Rengma Reserve Forest in Golaghat district.
In a strongly worded statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Chief Minister wrote:
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“We are on a mission to reclaim what rightfully belongs to us.
Our forests, our lands, our Satras, our agricultural fields—we are going all out to ensure that only legitimate Indian citizens enjoy the joy of being in Assam.
Rengma Reserve Forest — now ENCROACHMENT FREE.”
Sarma’s post followed the completion of the first phase of eviction operations on July 29 in Uriamghat, a sensitive region bordering Nagaland.
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The state administration cleared over 120 illegal structures and reclaimed approximately 4.2 hectares of forest land on Day 1.
The operation spanned Bidyapur Market and nearby villages, including Sonari Beel, Madhupur, and Dayalpur.
According to official estimates, the larger objective is to remove encroachments from nearly 3,600 acres, or around 11,000 bighas, of forest land.
More than 2,000 personnel, including Assam Police officers, CRPF troops, forest guards, magistrates, and about 100 excavators, took part in what state officials described as one of the most extensive forest eviction drives in recent memory.
The Assam government coordinated with Nagaland authorities to prevent any spillover or inter-state tension.
Officials from the Golaghat district administration confirmed that roughly 70% of occupants vacated their homes voluntarily after receiving official eviction notices. Many of the settlers had reportedly migrated from the districts of Nagaon and Morigaon.
While most lacked legal documentation, the administration spared a small number of families, particularly from the Bodo, Nepali, and Adivasi communities, who possessed valid Forest Rights Committee (FRC) certificates.
The state invoked the Assam Forest Regulation Act of 1891 (as amended in 1995) to provide legal backing for the evictions.
Authorities emphasized that they conducted prior surveys, legal scrutiny, and stakeholder consultations to ensure due process. The police also arrested two individuals for allegedly inciting resistance among the encroachers.
Despite the government’s legal justification, human rights groups and opposition parties like the CPI(ML) have criticized the eviction drive.
Critics questioned why the state had previously provided basic services, such as electricity, PMAY-G housing, and schools, to these villages if they were considered illegal settlements.
They also alleged selective targeting, claiming the government disproportionately evicted Muslim families while sparing others based on community identity.
As displaced families packed up and left, concerns mounted over their uncertain future. Some moved to nearby villages or returned to their home districts, while others pleaded for rehabilitation and resettlement support.
The state government has indicated that it will continue the eviction campaign in multiple phases until it reclaims all encroached forest land. CM Sarma’s message reflects his administration’s larger goal of restoring Assam’s religious, ecological, and cultural spaces.
Observers believe that the eviction from the Rengma Reserve Forest has now become a defining moment in Assam’s ongoing land and identity politics.