Guwahati, July 22: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday alleged that nearly 10 lakh acres of land in the state have been encroached by “illegal Bangladeshis” and “doubtful citizens.”

Addressing an event marking four years of the Gorukhuti Multipurpose Agriculture Project, Sarma reiterated the government’s commitment to reclaim encroached land. “We have taken the pledge to clear every inch of land from encroachers, suspected Bangladeshis,” he said.

Referring to the 2021 eviction drive in Gorukhuti, located in Darrang district, Sarma said that 77,420 bighas (around 25,500 acres) were cleared during the operation. The eviction had led to the deaths of two persons, including a 12-year-old boy, in police firing, according to PTI.

He added that the Gorukhuti eviction drive inspired similar operations across Assam. Over the past four years, around 1.29 lakh bighas (nearly 43,000 acres) of land have been cleared and reclaimed, primarily for forestation purposes.

Sarma also claimed that the state had faced “international pressure” to stop the eviction drive following the 2021 incident.