Muslims targeted in Assam forest land evictions; 1,000 families affected in drive

The Assam forest department has freed at least 600 hectares of forest land from encroachers in three districts, affecting over 1,000 families, mostly Muslims, in the eviction drive.

The drive took place in Nagaon, Hojai, and Golaghat districts on Saturday and Sunday.

Officials said that in one of the biggest eviction drives on Sunday, around 314 hectares in the Lutumai reserve forest (RF) in Nagaon district were cleared of encroachers. A total of 563 families were evicted.

The forest department had carried out a public announcement in August about the eviction drive, following which around 90 per cent of the encroachers left on their own. The eviction was carried out in accordance with court orders, an official claimed.

However, the All Assam Minorities Students' Union (AAMSU) has alleged that Muslims in the area are being discriminated against in the eviction drive.

The AAMSU said around 1,669 structures, including five masjids, had been demolished in Sunday’s eviction drive.

AAMSU president Md. Imtiaz Hussain said that of the 500-plus families that faced eviction in the Lutumai reserve forest, around 300 families had been settled by the government in 1973. Of the 300 families, 177 were Muslims.

“We respect the July 20 Supreme Court orders on eviction in forest areas, but we want to point out that 177 Muslim families were evicted on Sunday while the process for eviction against the non-Muslims is yet to start. They have not been issued notices yet,” AAMSU president Md Imtiaz Hussain said.

Reports said 300 families had been temporarily settled in 1973.