Assam's Bold Eviction Drive: CM Sarma vs. Trinamool Congress

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced Tuesday the significant achievement of reclaiming 1,19,548 bighas of land from encroachers as part of an ongoing eviction drive. In a statement, he highlighted that 84,743 bighas have been reclaimed from forest and national park areas since the current government's formation.

Sarma has openly criticized the Trinamool Congress, accusing it of falsely portraying the state's firm measures against illegal Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators as an anti-Bengali stance. He argues this claim is an attempt to protect illegal immigrants whose presence threatens Assam's demographic balance.

The contention has sparked a heated debate with Trinamool Congress, which condemned Sarma's stance on Bengali speakers as discriminatory. Meanwhile, Assam Legislative Assembly's Deputy Speaker Numal Momin raised alarms about the demographic shifts, citing increased Muslim-majority districts in the state since Independence.

(With inputs from agencies.)