Assam eviction drive displaces 1,080 families in Goalpara; Govt faces heat over alleged targeting of minorities

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 12, 2025

In a sweeping eviction operation at Paikan Reserve Forest in Assam’s Goalpara district, authorities cleared 1,038 bighas of land on Saturday, displacing over 1,080 families—most of them from minority Muslim communities. The drive covered Biddyapara, Betbari, and Ashudubi Gaon villages under the Krishnai forest range.

The operation began at 6 a.m., involving nearly 40 ground control points and dismantling over 2,700 structures. Officials said residents had been notified as early as November 2023, with final warnings issued last month. The drive was conducted under the 2022 Gauhati High Court order to remove forest encroachments.

“We ensured a peaceful process. Most people left voluntarily before the operation,” said Goalpara SSP Navanit Mahanta. Forest officials also stated that risk assessments and surveys were conducted to avoid confrontation.

Since 2023, the Goalpara administration claims to have cleared 650 hectares of forest land across four ranges. But the Paikan eviction has triggered sharp criticism and street protests.

Political parties including AIUDF, AAP, and Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti attempted to visit the eviction site but were blocked by police. AAP Assam leaders staged a demonstration nearby, accusing the government of selectively displacing poor and minority communities under the pretext of conservation.

“This eviction is not about saving forests—it’s about clearing space for corporate projects,” said AAP state general secretary Rajib Saikia. He alleged that the government is pushing a development model that prioritizes big business over the rights of the marginalized.

State vice president Anurupa Dekaraja added, “If these families are truly illegal immigrants, why did the government give them land and Rs 50,000 in aid? There’s a clear contradiction.”

AAP has called for an immediate halt to evictions and a thorough review of policies affecting long-settled forest dwellers. The party said it supports development, but not at the cost of displacing communities that have lived in these areas for generations.