Assam’s Dhubri Evictions: BJP Trampling Citizens’ Rights for Corporate Gain

Elyas Muhammad Thumbe, National General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India, unequivocally condemns the Assam government’s recent eviction drive in Dhubri district, a deplorable act of state-sponsored aggression that has uprooted thousands of Bengali-speaking families under the pretext of reclaiming government land. This operation, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is not a mere administrative measure but a calculated move that undermines the principles of justice, equality, and humanity enshrined in India’s Constitution, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities regardless of faith.

On July 8, 2025, the Assam administration launched a massive operation in the Chapar revenue circle of Dhubri, deploying over 1,200 security personnel and 50 excavators to clear approximately 3,500 bighas of land across the villages of Charuwabakhra, Santoshpur, and Chirakuta. This action displaced between 1,069 and 2,000 families, many of whom have lived and cultivated this land for over four decades, sustaining their livelihoods. The government’s claim of due process rings hollow—families received inadequate notice, often just days, and the meager ex gratia payment of Rs 50,000 offered to a fraction of the displaced fails to address the profound loss of homes, livelihoods, and dignity. When families resisted to protect their lives’ foundation, the state responded with baton charges, tear gas, and the detention of opposition leaders, including Raijor Dal’s Akhil Gogoi and eight MLAs from the All India United Democratic Front, who stood in solidarity with the affected.

The narrative advanced by Chief Minister Sarma, framing these evictions as a necessary step to “restore native demographics” and remove “illegal Bangladeshi settlers,” is a divisive falsehood that casts Indian citizens—Bengali-speaking people of diverse faiths who have lawfully resided in Assam for generations—as outsiders. This rhetoric fuels communal tensions and marginalizes entire communities for political gain, eroding the secular fabric of our nation. Since 2021, the Assam government has reclaimed over 25,000 acres of land, disproportionately targeting areas like Dhubri, Goalpara, and Lakhimpur, with minimal regard for rehabilitation or due process. Such actions reflect a troubling pattern of governance that prioritizes exclusion over inclusion.

Further compounding the injustice are allegations that the cleared land is earmarked for a thermal power project tied to corporate interests, notably the Adani Group. This raises serious concerns about whether the displacement of vulnerable citizens serves private entities rather than the public good. While the Gauhati High Court dismissed 130 petitions from affected families, this does not absolve the state of its moral and legal duty to provide meaningful rehabilitation for Indian citizens. The failure to offer adequate compensation or viable resettlement plans underscores the callous nature of this operation, leaving thousands homeless and destitute.

The Social Democratic Party of India stands firmly with the displaced families of Dhubri and calls for immediate action to rectify this grave injustice. The Assam government must halt all eviction drives until comprehensive rehabilitation plans are implemented, ensuring every affected family receives fair compensation, alternative land, and support to rebuild their livelihoods. Chief Minister Sarma must abandon divisive rhetoric and commit to governance that upholds the dignity and rights of all citizens, regardless of language, faith, or origin, in line with India’s secular and democratic values.