3 Years On, Silsako Families Still Await Rehabilitation

A wave of anguish swept through Chachal on Friday as dozens of families evicted from Guwahati’s Silsako area staged a passionate protest, demanding long-overdue rehabilitation and resettlement. The demonstrators, many of whom have been living in precarious conditions since their eviction, accused the Assam government of betrayal, broken promises, and discrimination in its resettlement policy.

The protest, held in the heart of the city, saw emotionally charged testimonies from families who claim they have been left abandoned for over three and a half years. Despite assurances from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, including a face-to-face meeting in September 2024, the affected residents allege that not a single promise has been honoured.

“We met the Chief Minister in good faith. He assured us our issues would be resolved and that we would be resettled at an alternate location. But nothing has happened. We are still waiting, still suffering,” said one protestor, holding a placard that read: ‘Rehabilitation is a right, not a favour.’

According to the protestors, out of 1,203 evicted families, fewer than 550 have received any form of support, and even that is far from adequate. The compensation amount — Rs 5 lakh per family — is being called a cruel joke in a city like Guwahati, where real estate prices are skyrocketing.

“Tell me, can anyone buy land and build a house in Guwahati with Rs 5 lakh? If the Chief Minister thinks it’s possible, let him try. I’ll return the money to him — let him show us how it’s done,” said one protestor bitterly.

The demonstrators — all of whom claim to be indigenous Assamese, both Hindus and Muslims — accused the government of double standards and politically motivated rehabilitation. They pointed to recent eviction drives in areas like Dhubri and Sadiya, where evicted families were allegedly compensated and resettled swiftly, suggesting a selective application of justice.

 “When people are evicted in other places, the government provides them land and a new home. Why not us? Are we less human? Are we not Assamese enough? Or is this just vote-bank politics dressed as development?” asked a visibly angry protestor.

Many also took aim at the government's narrative surrounding the eviction. “According to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, ‘encroachers’ are illegal Bangladeshis. Then how are these ‘encroachers’ being given rehabilitation packages while we, the indigenous people of this land, are ignored? This is a contradiction — and a deeply troubling one,” said one during the protest.

With no access to housing, no alternative land, and no concrete action plan from the authorities, most of the evicted families now live in makeshift shelters or are scattered across rental accommodations they can barely afford.

The situation has escalated into what many human rights observers are calling a crisis of displacement, with implications for the government’s urban development policies and treatment of vulnerable populations.

Despite repeated representations to the government, the protestors claim they have received no official communication, no timeline, and no roadmap for resettlement.

“We are not encroachers. We are citizens. We are indigenous people of this land. We demand justice, not handouts,” said one of the demonstrators, as others chanted slogans calling on the government to “stop the drama and start delivering.”

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