AJP, civil group allege land grab, corporate bias behind Assam evictions

Guwahati, July 17: Amid a rising tide of eviction drives across Assam to remove alleged encroachments and reclaim forest land, political and civil voices have accused the state government of using the campaign as a cover for corporate land allocation and political gain.

At a press conference on Thursday, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) General Secretary Jagadish Bhuyan lashed out at the BJP-led government, claiming that the narrative of protecting Assamese identity was being misused to mask large-scale land transfers to corporate houses.

“This is not about identity — this is about deception. While the Chief Minister talks of freeing 6,000 bighas from so-called illegal Bangladeshis, the same government is allocating 55,000 bighas — including 49,000 bighas of indigenous land — to corporate giants like Adani under the Advantage Assam 2 initiative,” Bhuyan said.

Bhuyan further alleged that the evictions were being politicised to distract from recent controversies, including the Gir cow procurement scandal and alleged land grab cases involving relatives of ministers.

Citing specific eviction figures, Bhuyan criticised the government’s track record on rehabilitation.

“Rehabilitation should precede eviction, not follow it. The government cannot destroy homes and then treat compensation as an afterthought,” Bhuyan said.

In a separate press meet at the Guwahati Press Club, members of the Assam Citizens’ Society, including MP Ajit Bhuyan and advocate Santanu Borthakur, echoed similar concerns.

Calling the evictions “a humanitarian crisis and a political conspiracy”, Ajit Bhuyan accused the government of targeting flood-affected, landless Muslims while offering the same land to private players.

“These families had no choice but to settle on government land. Now they’re being labelled encroachers. This is nothing short of land-loot,” he said.

Borthakur questioned the legal rationale behind the evictions. “If they’re illegal immigrants, why haven’t they been deported? If they’re Indian citizens, why are they being rendered homeless? The process is arbitrary, inhumane, and violates Supreme Court guidelines,” he said.

The civil society group also demanded the public release of data under the Basundhara land rights scheme, including application and approval numbers. “The government's silence is itself proof of manipulation,” Borthakur remarked.

Both the AJP and Citizens’ Society warned of political consequences, stating that people across Assam were growing increasingly aware and agitated.

“Land is our right. The people are watching. These injustices will not go unanswered,” Bhuyan asserted.

As evictions intensify across districts, the issue is fast emerging as a volatile flashpoint in Assam’s run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections, with calls growing louder for transparency, accountability, and humane governance.