"NDA 3.0 committed to reclaim over 1250 sq km encroached land in Assam": CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
Guwahati, May 17
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the National Democratic Alliance government in the State is "committed to reclaiming over 1,250 square kilometres of encroached land" and asserted that the administration has already begun work on the ground to achieve the target.
Sharing a post on X, Sarma wrote, "NDA 3.0 is committed to reclaim over 1250 sq km of encroached land in Assam. We are already on the ground working towards realising this promise."
The Chief Minister also shared glimpses from Saturday's anti-encroachment operation conducted by the state administration.
The Assam government has been carrying out eviction drives across several districts as part of its campaign against alleged illegal encroachments on government and forest land.
This comes weeks after Assam Chief Minister Sarma backed conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the State.
Meanwhile, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) today opposed any move to conduct a new socio-economic or citizenship-related survey in Assam, calling it a "waste of time" that would only cause unnecessary harassment to the public.
Speaking to ANI on the proposal of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state, AIUDF General Secretary Rafiqul Islam argued that the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which underwent half a decade of intense scrutiny, should be treated as the final word on the matter.
Islam questioned the logic behind initiating a fresh survey when a massive, Supreme Court-monitored exercise had already been concluded.
"NRC has already been done in Assam after five years of scrutiny. What can be bigger than that? It's over. No need for another survey. Doing an SIR will just waste time and trouble people," said Islam.
The AIUDF leader took a swipe at political narratives that claimed millions of illegal immigrants were residing in the state. He pointed out that the final draft of the NRC, published in August 2019, debunked those inflated projections.
Islam further emphasised that even the 19 lakh exclusions are not definitive. "They said there were 90 lakh outsiders, 50 lakh, 70 lakh -- but in the end, only 19 lakh names were excluded. Even among those, many have parents or siblings included in the NRC, so their names will also be corrected later," he noted, suggesting the actual number of undocumented individuals would shrink even further.
Instead of expending resources on a new SIR, the AIUDF urged the government to focus on wrapping up the pending legalities of the 2019 NRC.
"Instead of starting another SIR, complete the NRC process. Give NRC cards quickly to those whose names are already there. For the 19 lakh excluded, let them file claims and objections through FT (Foreigners Tribunals) as per Supreme Court guidelines," Islam told ANI.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While I support reclaiming encroached land, we need to be careful about the human cost. Many families have been living there for generations. The government should verify each case properly and provide alternatives where needed. NRC already caused enough trauma.
The AIUDF's argument about NRC being final is interesting but let's be real - 19 lakh exclusions from NRC is not a small number. Those are people whose citizenship status is unclear. We can't just ignore that. SIR might help resolve remaining cases. 🤔
Both sides have valid points. Yes, we need to protect our land and borders. But we also can't keep harassing people with endless surveys. The NRC process was already rigorous. Maybe focus on completing that rather than starting something new? Just my two paise.
Living in Assam, I see both sides every day. The encroachment on forest land is real - our wildlife is suffering. But many poor people have nowhere else to go. The government needs a balanced approach: reclaim land but provide rehabilitation. Empty promises won't help anyone.
Interesting to see the political dynamics here. The AIUDF obviously has its own agenda, but the NRC process was indeed a massive undertaking. If there are still issues, maybe a targeted survey makes more sense than a full SIR. Efficiency matters.
R We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.