Guwahati, August 4: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday urged the public not to provide shelter to evicted individuals, warning that the progress made through eviction and anti-encroachment drives could be undone. Speaking on the sidelines of several programmes in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Sarma reiterated the government’s commitment to clearing encroachments and protecting the rights and identity of the Assamese community.

“Our people should not give them shelter. Otherwise, our position—which has become a little good through evictions and other steps—will become bad again,” Sarma told reporters. He added that the government’s position had improved thanks to the eviction of illegal settlers and other corrective measures.

The Chief Minister stressed that encroachers should return to their original places, asserting, “The government has no objection to that.” He claimed the state’s anti-encroachment operations are critical for the protection of jati (community) and would continue with public cooperation.

Sarma said that nearly 29 lakh bighas (more than 9.5 lakh acres) of land across Assam remain under encroachment. He noted that over the last four years, 1.29 lakh bighas (approximately 42,500 acres) of land had been cleared, which he alleged were previously occupied by “illegal Bangladeshis and doubtful citizens.”

Referring to last week’s eviction drive in the Uriamghat area near the Assam-Nagaland border, Sarma dismissed any external aggression. “There is no Naga aggression there. The Naga people and government have helped us in the eviction,” he stated.

Without naming any specific group, the Chief Minister accused the alleged encroachers of causing social and environmental disturbances. “By turning our forests into betelnut plantations and fisheries, they are harassing us,” he said. He further alleged that acts of “love jihad” and “land jihad” were being committed against the indigenous population. “We are the ones who should cry, but they are shedding tears,” he remarked.

Reaffirming that the government distinguishes between indigenous and non-indigenous settlers, Sarma said on Sunday that no Indian or Assamese individual would be evicted, clarifying that unauthorised occupation by indigenous people would not be treated as encroachment.

The CM concluded by calling for continued public support: “A lot of work is still to be done. If people cooperate, we will be able to do it and protect our jati.”