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The Hindu
27 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Why is northeast on edge about Assam evictions?
The story so far: The Assam government's drive to evict encroachers from forestlands has sent alarm bells ringing in other States of the region. Now, States bordering Assam are taking measures to ensure that those evicted from Assam do not cross over. When did the eviction drive start in Assam? The BJP came to power in 2016 by promising to secure jaati (race), maati (land), and bheti (hearth). Based on a Gauhati High Court order to reclaim encroached forestlands, the first eviction drive was carried out in three fringe villages of eastern Assam's Kaziranga National Park in September 2016. Two people died at Gorukhuti in north-central Assam's Darrang district when the eviction drive resumed in September 2021, five months after the BJP retained power and Himanta Biswa Sarma became Chief Minister. The eviction drives, allegedly targeted at Bengali Muslims, resumed in June 2025, coinciding with charges of corruption against the BJP-led government, one of them involving the purchase and redistribution of Gir cows for an agricultural project at Gorukhuti, from where migrant Muslims were evicted. What are the roots of the problem? Evicting encroachers from forestlands, wetlands, and government revenue lands is not a new phenomenon in Assam. However, the operation has been high on optics as the BJP and its sub-nationalist regional allies have accused the 15-year rule by Congress of having paved the ground for encroachment by the 'Bangladeshi', 'Miya', or 'illegal infiltrators' — pejoratives for Muslims with roots in present-day Bangladesh — for votes. This category of Muslims has long polarised electoral politics in Assam during and after the anti-foreigners Assam Agitation (1979-'85), which led to the signing of an accord prescribing a cut-off date — midnight of March 24, 1971 — for the detection, deletion (from electoral rolls), and deportation of 'illegal immigrants' or Bangladeshi nationals. Why is the drive overtly aggressive? The eviction drives have impacted non-Muslims as well, including 130 families whose houses were bulldozed to clear the Silsako Beel, a major wetland in Guwahati, of encroachment in 2022. Those against migrant Muslims, however, has garnered more attention for their scale and intensity, as it has led to the death of at least five people between 2016 and July 2025, when 1,080 families were evicted from 135 hectares of the Paikan Reserve Forest in Assam's Goalpara district. This aggression is also reflected in the rhetoric of the Chief Minister and other BJP leaders, who refer to the drive as a long-term exercise to save Assam from 'land jihad'. Before the drive was launched this year, the Chief Minister said 15,288.52 bighas of satra (Vaishnav monastery) lands remain illegally occupied by people of doubtful citizenship across 29 districts. He also referred to the Union Environment Ministry's report to the National Green Tribunal that 3,620.9 square kilometres of forest area in Assam were under encroachment as of March 2024. The Chief Minister vowed to continue the eviction drive until Assam is encroachment-free in 'at least 10 years', while clarifying that tribal people living in forest areas from before 2005 and covered by the Forest Rights Act would not be touched. This followed the fast-track resettlement of at least 12 Ahom families who were evicted along with migrant Muslims from village grazing reserves across four locations in northeastern Assam's Lakhimpur district. Why are Assam's neighbours jittery? Assam's neighbours were passive as long as the eviction drives were in areas far from the interstate borders. NGOs in Nagaland stirred into action after the Assam government announced an anti-encroachment drive in Golaghat district's Uriamghat. They saw it as a move to push 'illegal Bangladeshi immigrants' inside Nagaland under the agenda of usurping 'ancestral Naga lands'. Before the drive commenced, the police in Nagaland's Niuland district intercepted and turned 200 vehicles carrying 'illegal migrants' back to Assam. A few days later, a conglomerate of extremist groups announced a task force to guard the Assam-Nagaland border against infiltrators. The governments of Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram followed suit. They issued orders to the authorities in areas bordering Assam to increase vigilance, prevent the evicted people from coming in, and make the issuance of the inner-line permit, a temporary travel document, stricter. How are border disputes linked to eviction? Although opposition political parties in Assam see the eviction drive against Bengali-speaking Muslims as a part of the BJP's agenda of polarisation ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls, encroachment is at the core of the State's boundary disputes with Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland. These States were carved out of Assam between 1963 and 1972. In March 2025, the Assam Assembly was told that the four States have been occupying almost 83,000 hectares of land belonging to the State. These States have, off and on, driven migrant Muslims out to Assam, a State they accuse of having patronised 'illegal immigrants' and made them settle along the borders as a ploy to claim disputed lands. More than 350 people have died due to the inter-State disputes, which Assam has partially resolved with Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. On July 30, the Gauhati High Court directed these five States to constitute a high-level committee to facilitate a coordinated action to clear illegal settlements from forestlands.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Farmer crossed over to Pak by mistake, jailed
. BATHINDA: Punjab farmer Amritpal Singh , 23, who had inadvertently crossed into Pakistani territory from his fields on Zero Line, has been sentenced to a month's imprisonment each under two offences and fined Rs 50,000 for each offence by a court in Chunian, Pakistan, reports Neel Kamal. Non-payment of fines will keep him in Pakistan prison for 15 days more on each count. Both sentences will run concurrently. Amritpal is lodged in Kasur district jail. The court also wrote to Pakistan ministry of interior to arrange for his deportation to India after completion of sentence. His father Jagraj Singh told TOI that he has got Pakistan court's conviction papers and letter to the interior ministry to deport him. "I am writing to Indian authorities to ensure that Amritpal is deported upon completion of his sentence." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Lives at Risk in Bingidoddi: Residents Demand Action Over Dangling Power Lines and Official Negligence
Gadwal: Residents of Ward No. 12 in Bingidoddi village, Aija Mandal, Jogulamba Gadwal district, are living under a life-threatening situation due to the absence of proper electricity poles, resulting in dangerous electric wires hanging directly over residential homes. Locals, along with BJP Mandal President Gopalakrishna, raised serious concerns and demanded immediate intervention from the authorities. 'It has been over 25 years since this colony came into existence with over 200 houses, yet not a single concrete road or electricity pole has been installed,' said Gopalakrishna while addressing the villagers. Due to the lack of official infrastructure, residents are reportedly using wooden poles as makeshift electricity supports, a practice that has already led to shocks and close calls. In a recent incident, a homeowner had to personally replace a wire support after experiencing a shock from a low-hanging live wire. The colony, locals say, is completely neglected while sarpanches and officials have ensured road construction only around their own houses. In contrast, this area lacks even basic amenities like CC roads, proper drainage, or soil roads. 'If something happens to any of these families, who will take responsibility?' Gopalakrishna questioned. 'Despite informing the Assistant Engineer (AE) of the electricity department, no action has been taken so far.' He warned that if the situation is not rectified, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will organize a massive protest and dharna in the coming weeks. The event saw the participation of other community leaders like Anjaneyulu, Narasimhulu, and a large number of concerned villagers. What the Law Says: Legal Consequences for Government Negligence Endangering Public Life Legal experts have highlighted that negligence by government officials—especially when it threatens public safety—can lead to serious criminal and civil liabilities under Indian law, including the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in July 2024. Criminal Provisions: Section 106(1) BNS (formerly IPC 304A): If negligence causes death, the official may face up to 5 years of imprisonment, fine, or both. Section 123 BNS (formerly IPC 336-338): Any act endangering life or causing harm due to carelessness can result in 2 years' imprisonment or fine. Section 108 BNS (formerly IPC 166): If a public servant intentionally disobeys the law, they can be punished with up to 1 year imprisonment, fine, or both. Civil and Administrative Action: Negligent officers can also face: Departmental inquiries, suspension, or dismissal Loss of pension or seniority Civil lawsuits for damages Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed by affected citizens or NGOs 'If a life is lost or seriously harmed due to an official's inaction, they could face both criminal prosecution and departmental removal,' said a senior retired IAS officer on condition of anonymity. What Citizens Can Do: Residents of Bingidoddi and similar villages can: File a formal complaint to the District Collector or Electricity Department Submit an RTI to trace accountability Approach the State Human Rights Commission or Lokayukta File a PIL in the High Court if officials continue to ignore their duty. Public Voice Growing Louder With the state government, led by the Congress party, promising people-centric development, locals expressed disappointment that these promises remain "only in words". The incident in Bingidoddi serves as a grim reminder of the gap between policy and implementation. As the public pressure mounts and legal frameworks back citizens' rights, authorities are now under intense scrutiny to take immediate corrective measures before a preventable tragedy occurs.
