GUWAHATI, July 12: In yet another large-scale eviction drive on Saturday, Assam’s Goalpara district administration cleared 1,038 bighas of forest land in Paikan Reserve Forest, displacing over 1,080 families—mostly from minority Muslim communities—across Biddyapara, Betbari, and Ashudubi Gaon villages.
The operation carried out under the Gauhati High Court’s 2022 directive to clear forest encroachments, began at 6 a.m. and involved nearly 40 ground control points. Over 2,700 illegal structures were dismantled. Officials said families were repeatedly notified to vacate since November 2023, with a final notice issued last month.
“We ensured a peaceful process,” said Goalpara SSP Navanit Mahanta. “Most residents vacated before the eviction began.” Divisional Forest Officer Tejas Mariswamy confirmed that surveys and risk assessments were conducted beforehand.
Since 2023, the administration has cleared 650 hectares across four forest ranges as part of ongoing anti-encroachment operations.
However, the latest drive sparked a strong political backlash. Three protest delegations from AIUDF, AAP, and Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti were blocked by police from reaching the eviction site. AAP Assam leaders held a protest near the barricade, slamming the government for targeting poor communities.
“AAP cannot support evictions that harass citizens,” said state general secretary Rajib Saikia. “This isn’t about forest protection—it’s about making way for corporate projects.” He accused the government of displacing long-time settlers under the guise of clearing illegal immigrants.
AAP state vice president Anurupa Dekaraja questioned the government’s narrative: “If these people are ‘illegal immigrants,’ why provide them land and ₹50,000 aid instead of deportation?”
AAP reiterated its support for development, but only if it’s humane and inclusive. The party has demanded an immediate halt to evictions and a review of policies affecting forest dwellers and marginalised communities.
