BJP backs CM Sarma’s eviction drive as ‘bold and necessary’, blames Bengali-origin Muslim influx for demographic shift in Assam

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 21, 2025

The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has extended full support to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s ongoing eviction drive, describing it as a bold and necessary step to protect the interests of the state’s indigenous population.

In a statement issued on Monday, the party blamed the demographic changes in several districts on what it called the long-standing infiltration and settlement of Bengali-origin Muslims.

The BJP claimed that the demographic composition of districts like Dhubri, Barpeta, Morigaon, and Goalpara has been significantly altered due to the influx of migrants, starting with the “Grow More Food” policy introduced during the tenure of Syed Sadullah. According to the party, this policy encouraged the settlement of people from pre-partition Bengal, now Bangladesh, on government land, forest areas, and tribal belts of Assam — a move that was strongly opposed by leaders such as Gopinath Bordoloi and Binchuram Medhi at the time.

Citing census data, the BJP noted that from 1991 to 2011, the Hindu population in Dhubri district rose by just 5,563, while the Muslim population increased by over 6.14 lakh. In Barpeta, the Hindu population declined by 64,963 during the same period, while the Muslim population rose by more than 4.21 lakh. Similar trends were reported in Bongaigaon, Morigaon, and other districts.

The party also highlighted a sharp rise in the number of Bengali speakers and a corresponding decline in Assamese-speaking populations. In Darrang, Assamese speakers declined by over four lakh between 1991 and 2011, while Bengali speakers increased by more than 2.6 lakh. In Morigaon and Dhubri, the number of Bengali speakers more than tripled during the same period.

According to the BJP, this trend of unchecked demographic change poses a threat not just to the religious balance but also to the linguistic and cultural identity of the state. The party argued that Chief Minister Sarma’s eviction drive is a strategic response to this threat, aimed at preventing further encroachment on public land and restoring the rights of the indigenous people.

The statement said that so far, 1.2 lakh bighas of encroached land have been cleared and described this as a strong and much-needed effort to reclaim the future of Assam’s native communities. It also called for the continuation and expansion of the eviction campaign.

The BJP appealed to all indigenous citizens to support the Chief Minister’s initiative and reiterated that the campaign was not only about land recovery but also about preserving the state’s identity and safeguarding its people from what it called a demographic crisis.