Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged the people of the state to protest against encroachers in a lawful manner, warning that any attempt to harm the Assamese community would have serious consequences. His remarks came amid rising tension in Upper Assam, where student and youth organisations have reportedly issued calls asking Bengali-speaking Muslims to vacate districts like Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, and Jorhat. Speaking on the sidelines of a programme in Guwahati, Sarma acknowledged the growing anger among the indigenous population, stating, “People will protest if someone tries to destroy our culture and beliefs.
We must firmly stand against such attempts.”While condemning recent incidents of physical assaults, Sarma clarified that such resistance must remain within legal limits. “Nobody should take the law into their own hands, but we must protest and agitate lawfully. Our responsibility is to stand firm and resist these illegal elements because if Assamese people don’t raise their voices, how can the law or police support us?” he said.
Referring to the recent eviction drive in Uriamghat in Golaghat district, the chief minister described the situation as “shocking” and said he would soon release more alarming visuals of large-scale land encroachment. “They have illegally occupied thousands of bighas of land and converted it into fisheries. This cannot be allowed to continue,” Sarma said.
