Nearly 100 families were removed from government land in the Bhakatgaon area of Samaguri on December 5, after the Nagaon district administration carried out an eviction drive.
District Commissioner Devashish Sharma said the eviction took place on 38 bighas (around 13 acres) of government land that had reportedly been occupied since the 1990s. Most families left on their own after receiving notices about 15 days earlier, while the rest were removed during Friday’s operation.
Officials confirmed that the entire area has now been cleared. The administration also announced that more eviction drives will soon be conducted in places such as Salanibari, Ahom Gaon, Tuktuki, Roumari Beach, Mairadhwaj, Bechamari, Shalmabari, and Akharbari Gelekni Beach.
This large-scale drive is part of the ongoing campaign under the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government to clear alleged encroachment from government and forest land. These actions, started in 2021, have often impacted Bengali-speaking Muslim families.
Earlier on November 3, the Chief Minister said similar eviction operations would continue, stating there would be “no peace” for what he referred to as “illegal Miyas.” The term ‘Miya’, once used as a slur for Bengali-origin Muslims in Assam, has recently been reclaimed by many as a symbol of identity and resistance.
