The Assam government has reclaimed more than 1,700 acres of reserve forest land in Hojai district after completing an eviction drive at the Jamuna–Moudanga Reserve Forest, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Monday. The operation, he said, underscores the state’s firm stance against illegal occupation of public land.
In a post on social media platform X, Sarma stated that 5,250 bighas—equivalent to about 1,732.5 acres—had been cleared of encroachments through what he described as a peaceful and lawful process. Declaring the operation a success, the chief minister warned that the government would show zero tolerance towards illegal encroachment in the future.
The Hojai drive is part of a broader campaign launched by the BJP-led government after it came to power in 2021. According to Sarma, eviction operations carried out across Assam so far have resulted in the clearance of roughly 1.45 lakh bighas, or nearly 47,850 acres, of land that was allegedly under illegal occupation.
The chief minister has consistently defended the eviction policy, arguing that it is essential for safeguarding reserve forests, wetlands and government-owned land. He reiterated on New Year’s Day that such drives would continue as part of the state’s land management and environmental conservation efforts.
At the same time, the eviction campaign has generated controversy, with critics pointing out that Bengali-speaking Muslim communities have been disproportionately affected in several districts. Sarma’s past remarks on the issue, including comments made in November last year, have also drawn sharp reactions from opposition parties and civil society groups.
Despite the criticism, the state government maintains that all eviction exercises are conducted strictly within the framework of the law and are aimed at reclaiming encroached land in the larger public and environmental interest.
