New Delhi: A fact-finding mission of the Socialist Party of India (SPI) has accused the Assam government of carrying out systematic ethnic cleansing of Bengali-speaking Muslims through mass evictions across several districts. The SPI team reported that more than 60,000 people have been left homeless, despite possessing valid documents such as Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, ration cards, and inclusion in the 2019 National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The eight-member team visited Goalpara, Dhubri, Nalbari, and Lakhimpur in early September. Victims described being branded as “foreigners” on flimsy grounds, including spelling errors in documents. Entire villages were cleared with only two days’ notice. In Bilasipara, three villages were demolished to make way for an Adani thermal power project, with each family receiving a token Rs. 50,000 compensation. In Lakhimpur and Nalbari, families were evicted on the pretext of occupying grazing or Gram Sabha land.
The SPI report noted that evictions not only destroyed homes but also public infrastructure like schools, health centers, and water supply systems built with government funds. The team concluded that Bengali-speaking Muslims, often derogatorily called “Miya Muslims,” were disproportionately targeted, despite being recognized as citizens through the NRC.
SPI Chairperson Syed Tahseen Ahmad called the demolitions unconstitutional and demanded rehabilitation, housing, and livelihood support for the displaced. The report warned that the evictions were politically motivated, aimed at polarisation ahead of state elections. Scholar Hiren Gohain added that the clearances appeared designed to free land for corporate projects, citing evidence of links with industrial expansion.
