Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday reaffirmed his commitment to serving the state’s indigenous population and protecting their identity.

Speaking at the Independence Day function in Guwahati while hoisting the national flag, Sarma highlighted his government’s efforts to remove encroachments from 1.2 lakh bigha (over 16,000 hectares) of land, describing it as part of measures to safeguard Assamese identity.

He said the eviction drive reflects the government’s determination to preserve the cultural and social rights of the state’s indigenous people.