Congress Lists Evictions, Killings, MoUs in Blistering Attack on BJP’s ‘Corporate Agenda’

In a high-voltage press conference held at Rajiv Bhawan on Friday, Assam's Senior Congress leader Ripun Bora launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Assam government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing it of being overtly anti-indigenous and a puppet in the hands of Nagpur and corporate houses like Adani, Ambani, and Ramdev. Former minister Rajiv Lochan Pegu, sitting MLA Jadab Swargiary, and former MLA Raju Sahu were also present at the press meet.

Ripun Bora pointed out that the indigenous, son-of-the-soil (Bhumiputra), and native people of Assam had played a pivotal role in bringing the BJP to power in 2016 and 2021, under the promise of “Jati-Mati-Bheti” (identity, land, and roots). However, the BJP government, he alleged, has betrayed this trust and instead targeted the same communities to satisfy Nagpur’s ideological designs and corporate greed.

Bora said the Congress would present 30 documented allegations proving how the Assam BJP government is engaged in anti-indigenous activities. “A government that once spoke about ‘Jati, Mati, Bheti’ is now crawling at the feet of Adani, Ambani, and Ramdev,” he remarked.

He recalled the 2017 eviction drive in Amchang, where an indigenous woman named Leena Doley was reportedly shot dead. Similarly, during the AIIMS protest in Raha, an indigenous youth, Mintu Deori, lost his life in police firing.

Taking a swipe at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for using his thumb finger to mock Rahul Gandhi during the latter’s recent visit to Assam, Ripun Bora said, “You’re not the only one with a thumb finger. Rahul Gandhi has one, and so do we. But we don’t use it to insult anyone. You, however, used yours to ridicule the Leader of the Opposition and the senior-most leader of the country’s oldest political party.”

In his detailed statement, Bora laid out the following list of allegations, citing them as examples of how the Assam BJP government under CM Sarma is working against indigenous interests:

Major Allegations:

1. In 2017, during the tenure of CM Sarbananda Sonowal, over 1,000 Mishing, Bodo, and Karbi families were evicted from Amchang near Guwahati. Under CM Sarma, during another phase of eviction in Panjabari, two indigenous women—Bina Doley and Malati Das—were grievously injured in police firing.

2. In 2017, during the AIIMS protest at Raha, Mintu Deori, a youth from the Tiwa community, was killed in police firing.

3. In Tinsukia, during Sonowal's tenure, over 1,500 Mishing families in Laika-Dadhia were evicted to convert Dibru-Saikhowa forest into a national park. They remain displaced to this day.

4. For Ramdev’s Patanjali, the BJP government allotted nearly 1,200 bighas of ceiling-surplus land in Balipara (Sonitpur), 600 bighas of tribal land in Tamulpur, and 25 acres of land belonging to indigenous people in Golaghat for palm oil cultivation.

5. In central Guwahati, under CM Sarma, nearly 1,200 indigenous families living with official holding numbers were evicted to construct a water reservoir at Silsaako and Soshala. Eviction drives were reportedly brutal.

6. In Karbi Anglong’s Bokajan constituency, 18,000 bighas (5,940 acres) of land belonging to over 20,000 Karbi and Adivasi residents of 23 villages have been handed over to Adani for a solar power project.

7. Similarly, on June 12, 2025, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council signed an MoU with Reliance for a Compressed Biogas Project on 12,000 bighas (4,000 acres) of land under Karbi control.

8. In Nagaon’s Mikir Bamuni Gaon, thousands of Karbi and Adivasi people were evicted to hand over 276 bighas (91 acres) to Azure Solar Power Company.

9. In Kamrup Rural district’s Rampur area, 160 bighas (50 acres) of land were transferred to a private company for setting up a Logistic Park.

10. Plans are underway to hand over 4,500 bighas (1,500 acres) of land in Borduar, Palasbari to a private firm for a Satellite Township project, evicting 2,100 Rabha, Adivasi, and Garo families.

11. In Kokrajhar’s Bashbari (Parbatjhora), 3,600 bighas (1,188 acres) of Bodo land are to be handed over to Adani for a thermal power plant.

12. In Dima Hasao, nearly 9,000 bighas (2,970 acres) of hill tribe land have been handed over to Adani for a cement factory.

13. In Chapar, Dhubri, nearly 3,500 bighas (1,155 acres) have been handed over to Adani for another thermal power plant. The eviction drive has rendered thousands of Muslim and Koch-Rajbongshi families homeless.

14. A 55-MW hydro power project is planned at Kulsi river in Ukiam on the Assam-Meghalaya border. A 62-meter dam threatens 26 villages inhabited by Rabha, Bodo, Garo, and Khasi people. The project may destroy farmland in 400 villages across South Kamrup.

15. 48 bighas (15 acres) of land near Kaziranga National Park, currently held by Adivasis, is earmarked for a five-star hotel by the Hyatt-Jenipro group.

16. In Goalpara, at least 3,100 bighas (1,000+ acres) of land across Hasilabil, Paikan, and Vidyapara have seen violent eviction drives involving bulldozers and destruction of schools, mosques, temples, and naamghars. One person died in police firing in Vidyapara.

17. BJP leaders themselves are allegedly involved in land grabbing. In Bolaikham village under Lakhipur Revenue Circle (Goalpara), 40 bighas of Myadi Patta land belonging to Rabha people were forcibly taken by APDCL Chairperson Dr. Prakash Kashyap and Lakhipur Municipal Chairman Rajesh Prasad Gupta.

18. The government has systematically vilified indigenous evictees as "suspected Bangladeshi Muslims" to justify land seizures. But of the 55,000 bighas (18,000 acres) of land from which people have been evicted, only 6,000 bighas (2,000 acres) are minority-inhabited. The rest belong to various indigenous communities, including areas under Tribal Belts and 6th Schedule provisions. Why haven’t these evictees been relocated near the Bangladesh border if the claim is genuine?

19. Beyond land, the BJP is systematically eroding the social, political, and economic rights of the indigenous population:

• Social attack: On December 26, 2023, CM Sarma quoted a controversial line on X (formerly Twitter), stating that “Shudras are born to serve Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas.” Facing public outrage, he blamed his staff and deleted the post.

• Political attack: The CAA, which violates the Assam Accord and the Indian Constitution, was imposed on Assam by the BJP. In the anti-CAA movement, the five young men shot dead included two tea tribe youths (Chem Stafford and Ishwar Nayak), a local youth (Dipanjal Das), a tribal youth (Dwijendra Pangging), and a local Muslim (Abdul Alim).

• Political manipulation: In 2016, Sonowal became the CM as a tribal leader. But in 2021, he was removed through internal sabotage and replaced by Himanta Biswa Sarma, accused of being anti-indigenous.

• Targeting leaders: Today, prominent indigenous leaders like Gaurav Gogoi, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, and Akhil Gogoi are politically obstructed. So are Hagrama Mohilary and Karbi leader Joningti Kathar for not bowing to Sarma's will.

• Economic attack: Between 2016 and 2025, every state budget saw cuts of 10–20% in funds allocated for STs, SCs, and OBCs. Scholarships have also been reduced or discontinued. Six ethnic groups—Tai-Ahom, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi, Chutia, and Tea Tribes—are still awaiting Scheduled Tribe status despite BJP’s 2014 promise.

• Neglect of Development Councils: Successive Congress governments had formed 33 development councils for various communities, such as Moran, Motok, Gorkha, Nath-Yogi, Chutia, Tea tribes, and more. Since BJP came to power in 2016, these councils have seen budget cuts, staff payments stopped, and no scheme implementation.

• Funding cuts to Autonomous Councils: Major councils like BTR, KAAC, Dima Hasao, Missing, Deori, Tiwa, Rabha, Sonowal Kachari, and Thengal Kachari have faced repeated cuts and delays in fund disbursement, hindering tribal development.

Bora concluded by stating that the BJP’s core ideology in Assam is no longer about protecting the land and rights of indigenous people but about pleasing Delhi and corporate interests. “We call upon all communities to rise for the 2026 battle under Congress leadership and defeat this anti-indigenous BJP regime to safeguard the future of Assam’s native population,” he declared.

Also Read: Assam CM Blames Rahul Gandhi For Police Firing On Goalpara Evictees