Deadline Ends, Hunt Begins: Assam's Sivasagar Boils Over 'Anti-Miya' Ultimatum

A wave of tension has gripped the historic town of Sivasagar after several self-styled vigilante groups launched what they are calling an "anti-Miya" operation across different localities and national highway stretches. Led by a combination of lesser-known groups and the so-called Jatiya Sangrami Sena, Asom (JSSA), the campaign appears to be targeting specific individuals — reportedly Bengali-speaking Muslims — suspected of being "illegal settlers" or "outsiders".

Starting early Sunday morning, members of these groups fanned out across various neighbourhoods and highway checkpoints, armed with lists and suspicions. In some areas, iron barricades ("lohar demp") were reportedly used to block roads while "checks" were carried out to identify what the groups described as "doubtful citizens".

The move comes days after a coalition of organisations under the Jatiya Sangrami Sena umbrella issued an ultimatum demanding that all "Miya settlers" vacate the area by August 2. On the night prior to the operation, local units had reportedly patrolled several areas, issuing what they described as a "final warning".

An Analytical Assessment: A Disturbing Turn of Events

Whether this operation is “good” or “bad” is not merely a question of sentiment — it is a matter of legality, ethics, and the foundational principles of a democratic society.

1. Breakdown of Rule of Law

What is unfolding in Sivasagar is a clear case of parallel policing. Citizen groups, however well-intentioned they may claim to be, have no legal authority to stop, interrogate, or "hunt" individuals based on ethnic or linguistic identity. It reflects a worrying collapse — or complicity — of administrative machinery, allowing extra-constitutional actors to take matters into their own hands. If authorities fail to step in decisively, it sets a dangerous precedent where any group can take over the state police in the name of cultural preservation or nationalism.

2. Communal Overtones and Targeted Fear

The usage of the term "Miya" — a colloquial reference often used derogatorily for Bengali-origin Muslims — is not accidental. It carries deep communal undertones and fuels a narrative that an entire linguistic or religious community is a demographic threat. While illegal immigration is a legitimate concern in Assam, targeting citizens solely on language, attire, or perceived ancestry veers into ethnic cleansing territory.

3. Pre-Election Social Engineering?

With local body elections expected in parts of Upper Assam later this year, such campaigns could be seen as part of a broader social engineering strategy — to polarise voter bases and consolidate support under ethno-nationalist banners. Historically, similar "drives" have spiked ahead of electoral cycles, often resulting in violence and long-term alienation of communities.

4. The Silent Role of State Agencies

So far, there has been no clear response from the local administration, police, or state government. This silence, or worse — tacit approval — emboldens fringe groups. If the administration is indeed aware of these activities but chooses not to act, it signals a complicity that should deeply concern all democratic citizens. The state cannot pick and choose whom to protect.

What This Means for Assam

Assam has long struggled with the complex questions of identity, land rights, and demographic anxiety. But mob-led enforcement of “citizenship” checkpoints is not the answer. It risks turning the region into a lawless zone ruled by majoritarian sentiment rather than constitutional order.

If not curtailed swiftly, the Sivasagar operation could inspire copycat campaigns in other districts, aggravating communal tensions across Assam. It could also impact the state’s image nationally and internationally — especially if reports of targeted harassment, violence, or displacement emerge.

Conclusion

The so-called anti-Miya operation in Sivasagar is not just a reflection of grassroots unrest — it is a test of Assam's democratic spine. It pits vigilante nationalism against constitutional rights, fear against due process, and hatred against humanity.

Unless the state intervenes with a firm hand, what begins as localised vigilantism could spiral into a much graver crisis — one that Assam, with its history of ethnic wounds, may not be able to easily heal.

Also Read: No Beds, No Water, No Dignity — Inside the Orphanage Crisis in Assam’s Dima Hasao