BJP government’s bulldozer drive near wildlife sanctuary draws allegations of targeting and political pressure before state elections
SONITPUR — In the middle of harsh winter conditions, nearly 1,200 Bengali Muslim families were left without shelter after a large-scale demolition drive in Assam’s Sonitpur district, triggering strong criticism of the BJP-led government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The action was carried out earlier this week in areas falling under the Tezpur Sadar and Dhekiajuli revenue circles. According to officials, the drive on January 5-6 aimed to remove what the government calls illegal encroachment from around 650 hectares of land inside the Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary.
However, affected families say they are long-time residents and not illegal settlers.
“My father and grandfather lived here. We built our house with our own hands. Now everything is gone,” said Abdul Rahman, a daily wage worker, standing beside the remains of his demolished home.
The district administration said houses and crops had come up inside protected forest land. A senior official, quoted by PTI, said many residents had already left the area before the drive, while others requested more time because of the cold and standing crops.
Sonitpur Deputy Commissioner Anand Kumar Das said, “The administration cannot allow anyone to stay inside forest land. The law applies to all, even during winter.”
Residents, however, say they pleaded for time.
“We asked them to wait till the crops were harvested. It was freezing cold. They did not listen,” said a woman from Batulichar village, holding her children close.
The demolitions come at a time when assembly elections are expected in Assam in the coming months. Opposition parties and Muslim organisations allege that such drives are being used to create fear and polarisation.
Chief Minister Sarma has repeatedly spoken about demographic changes in Assam and claimed that census data will bring ‘bad news’ for the state. Critics say such statements add to the insecurity felt by Muslims.
A rights activist in Guwahati said, “Since 2016, most eviction drives have taken place in Muslim-majority areas. This pattern cannot be ignored.”
This is not the first such action. In February last year, the Assam government cleared nearly 2,099 hectares of land from wildlife sanctuary areas. Media reports say that since the BJP came to power in 2016, eviction drives have affected several districts with large Bengali-speaking Muslim populations.
The chief minister recently claimed that around five lakh bighas of land have been recovered through such operations.
Displaced families argue that many of them moved to these areas decades ago after losing land to erosion caused by the Brahmaputra River.
“The river took our village years ago. We had nowhere else to go,” said another evicted resident.
So far, there has been no clear announcement about rehabilitation or temporary shelters for those displaced. With temperatures dropping sharply at night, families are staying under open skies or with relatives.
“We are Indian citizens. We deserve at least a roof in this cold,” said a local elder.
As bulldozers retreat from Sonitpur, questions remain over compassion, equality before law, and whether Indian Muslims are being pushed to the edge in the name of development and conservation.
