Guwahati, Assam : Opposition parties in Assam have accused the state government of allowing a complete breakdown of law and order in Upper Assam amid reports of vigilante campaigns by Assamese nationalist groups targeting Bengali-origin Muslims, reported the Economic Times.
Several organisations, including the All Tai Ahom Students Union, Jatiya Sangrami Sena, and Bir Lachit Sena, have allegedly been conducting door-to-door visits in Sivasagar and nearby towns, ordering Bengali-speaking Muslim tenants to “leave Upper Assam.” The campaign, referred to by the groups as the miya kheda andolan — a derogatory drive to expel “miyas” — has triggered fear and outrage.
The campaign follows large-scale eviction drives in Dhubri, Goalpara, Lakhimpur, and Golaghat districts, which displaced thousands, mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims. It is set against the backdrop of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s repeated calls to counter what he describes as a “demographic invasion” by “people of one religion.”
Former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Ripun Bora condemned the state’s inaction. “Right under the government’s nose, people are attacking houses, indulging in mob violence, and forcibly collecting donations. These are antisocial activities, yet the government remains silent,” he said.
Bora also criticised CM Sarma’s remarks earlier this week when asked if the campaign had his support. Sarma had responded, “It has to happen with my patronage. People need to stay in whichever area they should stay.” Bora accused him of “fueling mob violence” and violating the constitutional right of every citizen to live and work anywhere in India.
Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi warned the situation could “spiral out of control.” In a letter to Bir Lachit Sena’s Chief Secretary, he accused the group’s wing “Shringkhal” of provoking communal tensions and warned that such actions disrupt harmony. While reiterating his party’s support for legal action against foreigners, Gogoi criticised the BJP’s communal approach and accused the ruling party of using the issue for vote-bank politics ahead of the 2026 elections.
The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has also intervened. A delegation led by MLA Hafiz Basir Ahmed Kasimi met the Inspector General of Police and submitted a letter to the state DGP, demanding urgent action against harassment of Miya Muslims in Upper Assam. The letter alleged that groups were illegally entering rented homes, falsely labelling residents as foreigners, and pressuring landlords to evict them.
Calling these actions “illegal, unconstitutional, and a threat to communal harmony,” the AIUDF urged the government to protect the fundamental rights of all citizens and take strict action against those responsible.
