BJP declares ‘no retreat’ on evictions, accuses Congress of betraying Assam’s indigenous identity

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 22, 2025

The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced that eviction drives across the state will continue with full force until every encroached piece of land is reclaimed. Describing the campaign as “Assam’s final battle,” the party framed the evictions as part of a broader effort to protect the state’s cultural and demographic identity.

“This is not just governance—it’s a historic mission,” said BJP spokesperson Kalyan Gogoi, echoing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s stance. “We will not pause or retreat until the legacy of the 855 martyrs of the Assam Movement is honoured.”

Gogoi praised the government’s ongoing anti-encroachment efforts as vital to safeguarding the future of Assam’s indigenous communities. He accused the Congress of enabling illegal settlements for electoral advantage, claiming the party had used “vote-bank politics” to facilitate the encroachment of protected lands by migrants from Bangladesh.

According to Gogoi, this decades-long strategy has led to a demographic shift that now threatens the political and cultural rights of Assamese people. “Congress’s agenda has brought us to the brink of an existential crisis in our own homeland,” he said. “Chief Minister Sarma’s unwavering stand has given hope to the people that this cycle of demographic aggression can finally be broken.”

The BJP alleged that Congress had deliberately manipulated population patterns to alter constituency profiles, allowing more representatives of Bangladeshi origin to enter the Assam Assembly over successive elections. Gogoi called it a calculated attempt to seize power by diluting the state’s indigenous character.

Drawing on historical references, Gogoi invoked the legacies of Lachit Borphukan, Gopinath Bordoloi, and Bishnu Ram Medhi, describing them as defenders of Assamese identity. He accused Congress of betraying its vision by handing over protected land to outsiders for political gain.

As eviction operations gather pace, Gogoi said, Congress’s “anti-indigenous, vote-driven agenda” is being exposed. He challenged the party to abandon its support for illegal settlers and instead stand with the people of Assam.

“The Assamese have never bowed to subjugation—and they won’t start now,” he said. “Under Chief Minister Sarma’s leadership, this government will defend Assam’s land, language, and identity for future generations.”