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Large-scale Eviction Drives of Indigenous and Tribal People in Many Districts of Assam

Mass evictions across Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, and other Assam districts have triggered protests by tribal groups and AIARLA, opposing large-scale land allotments to corporate projects that threaten indigenous land rights protected under the Sixth Schedule.

The Karbi Anglong Kisan Shramik Sabha and AIARLA have sent a memorandum to the Governor of Assam on 19 June 2025 demanding immediate stop to the ongoing evictions in many districts and rehabilitation of those evicted. The BJP government in Assam has been carrying out large-scale eviction drives in various districts of the state, including Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Kamrup (Rural), Kokrajhar and Goalpara.


This has created a sense of uncertainty and fear among the people. Longkiram Tokbi and Bikram Singh Terang, President and General Secretary respectively of Karbi Anglong Kissan Shramik Sabha, and Gobin Tokbi, National Vice President of AIARLA have in a statement said that there are two patterns clearly seen in these eviction drives. 

In Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts, which are protected under the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council have decided to allot 18,000 bighas of land to APDCL for solar projects, 4,000 acres of land for compressed biogas projects to Reliance group and 400 bighas of land for establishing Sainik School. At Umrangso under Dima Hasao Autonomous District Council area, 9,000 bighas of land have been allotted to Adani group for setting up a mega cement factory.
These decisions will lead to the massive displacement of poor indigenous people and will gradually destroy land rights and traditional practices of land management of tribal people protected under the Sixth Schedule. Regrettably, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, which is responsible and accountable for protecting land rights of indigenous people, have failed to take a strong stance against these decisions.

They also demanded a decision to allot land to Adani group for a solar project at Bashbari of Pahartjhora in Kokrajhar district without conducting any public hearing should be cancelled. The eviction drive in Hachila Beel area of Goalpara district, where Bengali speaking Muslims (who are Indian nationals) are being evicted without any rehabilitation plan, is a matter of great concern and immediate action to provide rehabilitation to the evicted people and to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future. 

Published on 26 June, 2025