"Assam CM is a demon feeding on people’s suffering": MLA Rasheed Alam slams Himanta Biswa Sarma over eviction drives

The Goalpara district administration and forest department are all set to resume a large-scale eviction drive on November 9 and 10, targeting illegal encroachments on about 153 hectares of land across ten reserved forest areas in the district. According to officials, the operation follows Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s announcement to reclaim encroached forest land across Assam.

Slamming Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, MLA Rasheed Alam said, "“The Chief Minister is like Ravan, a demon, a bloodthirsty ruler who feeds on the suffering of people. Himanta Biswa Sarma is tormenting the common people and has become desperate to drink their blood. Out of fear of losing his chair, he is speaking nonsense. The MLA further alleged, “The tears and curses of the evicted families will surely fall upon Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Alam further stated. “As the Chief Minister himself says that committing sins causes cancer, and since he is committing such sins, he will inevitably suffer from cancer."

District Forest Officer Tejas Moriswami informed that around 1,685 hectares of land in ten reserved forest zones are currently under encroachment, with 153 hectares already identified for immediate clearance. Over 600 families residing illegally in these areas have been issued eviction notices. However, residents living on patta (land lease) lands have been temporarily exempted from the eviction process.

The affected areas include Dubapara Luptachar, Pakhiura, Beharphuli, Darogar Alga, and 126 No. Uzrir Char, located in the north-western side of the historic Sri Surya Pahar and south of State Highway 46. Many of these settlers, reportedly displaced earlier due to erosion by the Jolajoli River, have been living in these forest lands for nearly 25–30 years.

Meanwhile, some residents have voluntarily begun dismantling their houses and vacating the forest areas ahead of the eviction drive. Authorities confirmed that all preparations have been completed for the operation, and heavy machinery such as bulldozers are ready to be deployed.

A section of the affected residents approached the Gauhati High Court, which subsequently ordered a temporary halt on evictions from patta and government-allotted lands. However, the administration remains firm on its decision to continue the eviction drive in forest and non-patta areas.

Several residents expressed confusion over the status of their land, questioning why they were allotted plots by the revenue department if those areas were officially marked as reserved forests. Local citizens, while not opposing the eviction outright, urged the government to make rehabilitation arrangements for genuine landless families affected by the operation.