Guwahati, July 5: Assam BJP President and MP Dilip Saikia has declared that the ongoing eviction drive in the state will continue “relentlessly” to protect the land, heritage, and identity of indigenous communities. He emphasized that Assam’s spiritual and cultural centres — the Sattras — are under threat, with over 922 Sattras currently encroached upon.
Speaking in Guwahati on Saturday, Saikia launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of decades-long political appeasement. “For 69 years after independence, Congress ruled Assam but failed to protect the rights of indigenous people. Instead, they built their vote bank by encouraging illegal infiltrators,” he said.
He cited alarming figures to support his claim that 7,137 bighas of Sattra land are encroached in Barpeta, 2,757.39 bighas in Bajali, 2,583.79 bighas in Nagaon and 896.76 bighas in Lakhimpur.
Saikia criticized the Congress leadership for opposing eviction efforts and recalled the semi-nude protest led by former APCC President Bhupen Bora against the Garukhuti project, which Saikia described as “a symbol of Assam’s agrarian revival.”
Targeting opposition leader Debabrata Saikia, he questioned demographic shifts in Dhubri: “As per Census 2001, there were 5 lakh Hindus in Dhubri. By 2011, that number dropped to 3.5 lakh. Where did 1.5 lakh Hindus go?” He demanded answers on the alleged displacement of indigenous families.
Saikia challenged Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain to publicly ask illegal encroachers to vacate Sattra land. “If they don’t, it only proves their allegiance to a single community over the people of Assam,” he said.
He also raised concerns about demographic changes in Lakhima village, Goalpara, where he said Rabha and Garo families have vanished due to encroachment. “Congress must answer: why have the indigenous communities been driven out of their ancestral lands?” he asked.
Saikia praised the government’s Mission Bhumiputra, which aims to provide land pattas to indigenous people while reclaiming encroached Sattra land. “The BJP government will not back down. Our mission is clear — to restore the spiritual sanctity of Assam and secure land rights for its rightful heirs,” he concluded.
