Assam’s Proposed Thermal Plant Uproots Over 2,000 Miya Muslim Families in Dhubri
Barpeta, Assam: On July 8, the Dhubri district administration started a demolition drive tearing down over 2,000 Miya Muslim households at the site of the Assam government’s proposed 3,400-MW thermal power plant in Bilashipara, in Dhubri district.
A public announcement was made on July 4. The very next day, on July 5, officials from the Chapar Circle Office put up eviction notices in different places of villages including Charuabakhra Jangal Block, Chirakuta Part-1, Part-2 and Santoshpur, forcing the families to evacuate their homes.
Spanning over 5,000 bigha of land across four villages, locals allege that the eviction drive will displace as many as 10,000 landless Miya Muslims.
The thermal power project was initially planned in a tribal-dominated area in Kokrajhar District. After strong protest by locals, it was shifted to the Bilapshipara area of Dhubri District – an area predominantly inhabited by the Miya community.
Standing on the premise of her dismantled home, Ajiran Nessa, 52, a resident of Chirakuta village, says, “Suddenly, we are told to pack and move with nothing but 50,000 rupees. Where will we go?”
“How can we live in the middle of the river where the government wants to settle us?” she asks.
The notice was issued under the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886. It mentioned that Rs 50,000 will be offered to each landless family, and promised resettlement in Boyjer Alga village under the Athani Revenue Circle in Dhubri.
Abdur Rashid Seikh, 41, a resident of Chirakuta village claimed that Jeet Adani, the director of the Adani Group, must be associated with the thermal power project as he visited the site on April 22.
The eviction process was further accelerated after Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the proposed thermal plant site on June 24.
While families who hold Miyadi patta land are still staying in the area, most residents of the four villages – those residing on “government land” – had to vacate their homes following the eviction notice.
The resettlement site, Boyjer Alga, is a low-lying Char area prone to flooding and erosion. Residents of the evicted site claimed that the resettlement area lacks basic infrastructure like drinking water, roads, healthcare and schools.
“It’s like they’re throwing us away,” says 70-year-old Kashem Ali, who has lived in Charuabakhra village for more than 50 years.
Ajahar Ali, now in his 60s, settled in Santoshpur after the Brahmaputra floods washed away his home in 1981. He is now facing displacement again.
“This is not about development,” he says, “This is a way of harassing Miya Muslims by the Himanta government.”
‘Police opened fire’
An estimate said that over 3,000 police personnel have been deployed in the area amid the eviction drive and over 100 bulldozers are being used to demolish the houses. Residents have said that the administration has been using threats and intimidation to pressure families into evacuating quickly.
As people staged a protest against the eviction drive, they were met with police action. At least three women were injured in a confrontation with the police in Charuabakhra village. Locals identified them as Masiya Khatun, 40, and Rumiya Khatun, 45 and Hafiza Khatun, 30 of Charuabakhra village.
A resident says, “I ran away from the place when police opened fire.”
Sofiur Rahman, a 34-year-old resident of Charuabakhra, says that 357 landless families, 129 with Miyadi patta and 83 allotted landholders have approached the high court. He adds that many landless families have already left the area under pressure and threats from the administration, even while their cases are still pending.
“The administration is continuously pressuring residents to accept the 50,000 rupees cheque and leave the area,” says Rahman.
The hearing of the case is scheduled for July 22, as per a human rights lawyer in Guwahati, who wished to remain anonymous.
‘BJP government is torturing people’
Many human rights activists and political leaders have condemned the eviction as a brutal and targeted action by the BJP-led government.
On Tuesday (July 8) morning, Raijor Dal leader and MLA Akhil Gogoi travelled to the eviction site. He was seen interacting with the evicted people in Charuabakhra. However, the police detained him and took him to the Chapar police station. He was dropped in Goalpara district by police vehicle after a few hours.
Addressing the media later, he alleged, “Only because they are Muslims, the communal BJP government is torturing the people. It is a political strategy for them.”
CPI(M) leader Suprakash Talukder accused the government of promoting a pro-corporate agenda while specifically targeting Muslim minorities.
“This eviction drive is part of a larger plan to transfer land and public resources to corporate interests,” Talukder said. “The BJP is framing this as a patriotic act to ‘save Assam from the Miyas,’ while using communal rhetoric to deepen social divisions for political gain.”
Sofiur Rahman says, “Forced eviction is a complete violation of human rights.”
“We have lived here for generations. How can we suddenly be asked to leave without proper rehabilitation? Where are we supposed to go?” he asks.
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