New Delhi: A high-level delegation of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Mahmood faction) on Thursday sought the Union Government’s urgent intervention in what it terms a “humanitarian and constitutional crisis” unfolding in Assam. The appeal comes after a fact-finding visit to the violence-hit districts of Dhubri and Goalpara, where an ongoing eviction and demolition drive has displaced thousands of Muslim families.
The delegation submitted a detailed report to JUH President Maulana Mahmood Madani, describing the situation on the ground as “critical, inhumane, and reminiscent of a colonial-era siege.”
The most shocking finding in the JUH report is the police shooting of unarmed civilians on July 17 in Ashudubi village, located in the Paikan forest area of Goalpara district. A 17-year-old boy, reportedly a refugee of the July 12 eviction, was killed when police opened fire on a group of displaced people protesting for basic necessities like food, water, and access roads. Three others were seriously injured.
“These were starving, exhausted people seeking help. The police response was lethal and totally unjustified,” a JUH official told reporters in New Delhi.
According to the delegation, over 20,000 people, including 5,700 registered voters, have been evicted from villages such as Charakatra, Santoshpur, and Charwabakra in Dhubri district. Most are now living on sandbanks along the Brahmaputra River, without shelter, clean water, or sanitation.
The delegation has accused the Assam government of imposing a de facto siege on these areas. It revealed that even handpumps and toilets have been destroyed and relief routes blocked, and access to these areas was restricted.
Even JUH’s own attempts to deliver food and tarpaulins were reportedly obstructed by local authorities.
JUH alleges that the evictions are being carried out under the pretext of land clearance for a solar energy project backed by corporate interests.
“This is not about environment or development. It’s about displacing poor Muslims and grabbing land,” said the JUH report.
The delegation also slammed sections of the media for portraying the displaced as “illegal Bangladeshi immigrants,” calling it a “dangerous and false narrative” that risks inciting further violence.
“These are Indian citizens with voter IDs and land documents. Branding them as foreigners is part of a broader campaign to dehumanize and disenfranchise Assam’s Muslims,” the report warned.
Jamiat has outlined a list of urgent demands to the Union Government, including:
Immediate humanitarian relief: food, water, medical aid, and shelter for displaced families.
Restoration of access roads for aid organizations and journalists.
Judicial action against police officials involved in the July 17 firing.
Compensation for the families of the deceased and injured.
Resettlement of displaced persons on suitable alternative land and a halt to further evictions and withdrawal of “Bangladeshi” labelling.
A comprehensive judicial inquiry into the eviction operations and police excesses.
The JUH fact-finding team included senior national and state leaders such as Maulana Hakimuddin Qasmi, General Secretary, JUH; Hafiz Bashir Ahmad Qasmi, General Secretary, JUH Assam; Maulana Abdul Qadir Qasmi, Additional General Secretary; Mufti Saaduddin Qasmi; Maulana Mahboob Hasan; Maulana Izzat Ali; among others from Goalpara, Dhubri, Bilasipara, Chapar, and Kokrajhar.
JUH leaders vowed to escalate the issue to national platforms and the judiciary, and to mobilize civil society across India to resist what they described as a targeted campaign against Assam’s Muslim population.
“This is not just a local tragedy—it’s a national emergency,” said a JUH representative. “We will not rest until justice is done.”
