Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has voiced serious concern over alleged land encroachment and a shift in the demographic composition of Goalpara town, claiming that immigrants posing as flood-affected people have settled in the area and acquired large tracts of land.

Speaking at a public event, Sarma said, “You should visit Goalpara town someday. There’s a forest called Raikhosini, right on the edge of the town. What happened is immigrants, posing as flood-affected people, came into Goalpara from Baghbar. So many came that the once Hindi-majority constituency has now become Muslim-majority.”

The Chief Minister questioned how such individuals were able to acquire up to 15 acres of land each, suggesting irregularities in land allocation. He also criticized the opposition, stating, “Even our own MLAs were left puzzled, unable to understand why Congress MLAs continue to defend individuals involved in illegal encroachment.”

Sarma’s comments come amid growing discussions in Assam over illegal settlement and land use, particularly in forest and government land areas. The state government has launched several eviction drives in recent years targeting encroachments on public land.