The Assam government on Monday announced the clearance of 55 acres of land from alleged illegal encroachments in Biswanath district, as part of its ongoing anti-encroachment campaign, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Sarma described the eviction as a step in the sustained effort to reclaim state-owned land and reaffirmed the government’s commitment that “every inch of Assam’s land will be freed from encroachers.” He also accused the Congress party of supporting “infiltrators,” claiming opposition parties were showing sympathy towards those evicted.

The eviction drive has drawn criticism from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which alleged that the government is disproportionately targeting the Muslim community. AIUDF MLA and General Secretary Rafiqul Islam said thousands had been rendered homeless and accused the state of failing to rehabilitate landless families. He further claimed that while both Muslims and non-Muslims occupy government land, eviction measures are selectively directed at Muslims. The party has demanded the imposition of President’s Rule in Assam, citing a worsening law and order situation.

Earlier this month, on August 8, a similar eviction drive was conducted in Negheribil, Merapani area along the Assam-Nagaland border, where encroachments inside the Doyang Reserve Forest in Golaghat district were removed.

The Assam government stated that these eviction measures are essential to protect the state’s land and resources from unauthorized occupation.