<p>Guwahati: Amid Assam government's eviction drive targeting the Bengali-speaking Muslims, an organisation representing an "indigenous" Muslim community on Tuesday claimed that nearly 100 families belonging to the community were also evicted. </p><p>All Assam Gariya Jatiya Parishad, a forum of Gariya Muslims, stated that 80 houses were evicted in Golaghat and 16 in Lakhimpur even as the BJP-led government in 2022 had declared the Gariyas as an indigenous community.</p>.'Keeping close watch': Assam CM Himanta on activists opposing evictions of Muslims.<p>CM Himanta Sarma also had stated that no indigenous community would be evicted.</p><p>"Besides, many Gariya Muslim families living at several places in Guwahati have been served eviction notices. Such actions suggest that the Gariyas were accepted as an indigenous community only on papers. Evictions notices served to the indigenous Gariya community must be withdrawn and those evicted should be rehabilitated by the government," said Mir Arif Iqbal Hussain, general secretary of the Parishad.</p><p>Claim of the Parishad contradict CM Sarma who recently stated that only Bengali-speaking Muslims were being evicted.</p><p>The BJP and some organisations in Assam consider the Bengali-speaking Muslims as "illegal migrants" from Bangladesh and a "threat" to the identity of the indigenous communities. </p><p>Rajib Chaudhary, publicity secretary of the Parishad, said they had moved Lakhimpur deputy Commissioner with a request for rehabilitation of the 16 evicted families but no step has been taken so far. </p><p><strong>Evictions in forest</strong></p><p>Administration in eastern Assam's Golaghat district on Tuesday resumed eviction drive in Rengma Reserve Forest and razed nearly 1,500 houses belonging to Bengali-speaking Muslims. Official sourcs said more than 1,400 bighas of land were cleared during the drive. Most residents had vacated the house following a similar drive in the area. </p><p>The first phase of the eviction drive was carried out in the reserve earlier.</p><p>Since June, the BJP-led government has evicted hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims from forests, village grazing land and other government land in at least six places in Goalpara, Dhubri, Nalbari, Lakhimpur and Golaghat districts. </p><p>CM Sarma alleged that "Bangladesh origin" Muslims had occupied forests, wetlands and other government land as part of a "conspiracy for demographic invasion" over the indigenous communities in Assam. </p><p>However, the Opposition Congress and organisations representing Muslims claimed that the drive was part of BJP's "polarisation tactics" in the run-up to the Assembly elections slated early next year.</p>
<p>Guwahati: Amid Assam government's eviction drive targeting the Bengali-speaking Muslims, an organisation representing an "indigenous" Muslim community on Tuesday claimed that nearly 100 families belonging to the community were also evicted. </p><p>All Assam Gariya Jatiya Parishad, a forum of Gariya Muslims, stated that 80 houses were evicted in Golaghat and 16 in Lakhimpur even as the BJP-led government in 2022 had declared the Gariyas as an indigenous community.</p>.'Keeping close watch': Assam CM Himanta on activists opposing evictions of Muslims.<p>CM Himanta Sarma also had stated that no indigenous community would be evicted.</p><p>"Besides, many Gariya Muslim families living at several places in Guwahati have been served eviction notices. Such actions suggest that the Gariyas were accepted as an indigenous community only on papers. Evictions notices served to the indigenous Gariya community must be withdrawn and those evicted should be rehabilitated by the government," said Mir Arif Iqbal Hussain, general secretary of the Parishad.</p><p>Claim of the Parishad contradict CM Sarma who recently stated that only Bengali-speaking Muslims were being evicted.</p><p>The BJP and some organisations in Assam consider the Bengali-speaking Muslims as "illegal migrants" from Bangladesh and a "threat" to the identity of the indigenous communities. </p><p>Rajib Chaudhary, publicity secretary of the Parishad, said they had moved Lakhimpur deputy Commissioner with a request for rehabilitation of the 16 evicted families but no step has been taken so far. </p><p><strong>Evictions in forest</strong></p><p>Administration in eastern Assam's Golaghat district on Tuesday resumed eviction drive in Rengma Reserve Forest and razed nearly 1,500 houses belonging to Bengali-speaking Muslims. Official sourcs said more than 1,400 bighas of land were cleared during the drive. Most residents had vacated the house following a similar drive in the area. </p><p>The first phase of the eviction drive was carried out in the reserve earlier.</p><p>Since June, the BJP-led government has evicted hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims from forests, village grazing land and other government land in at least six places in Goalpara, Dhubri, Nalbari, Lakhimpur and Golaghat districts. </p><p>CM Sarma alleged that "Bangladesh origin" Muslims had occupied forests, wetlands and other government land as part of a "conspiracy for demographic invasion" over the indigenous communities in Assam. </p><p>However, the Opposition Congress and organisations representing Muslims claimed that the drive was part of BJP's "polarisation tactics" in the run-up to the Assembly elections slated early next year.</p>