Behind wave of Assam evictions, a hungry river, and a land policy loaded against Miya Muslims

“Twenty-five years ago, the Brahmaputra took away our home,” said 38-year-old Safiur Rahman Mondol. “Now, the government has bulldozed it.”

Over two decades ago, Mondol’s home on a char, the temporary sandbar islands of Assam which are regularly swallowed by the Brahmaputra, was washed away.

The family landed up 10 km away at Churuabakra village in Assam’s Dhubri district.

But last month, Mondol’s home and that of 1,400 Muslim families of Bengali origin in the area were demolished to make way for a power project. “My brother and I built the homes after working for the last 25 years. We have nothing left now.”

The district authorities designated 300 bighas of land for the rehabilitation of the evicted people, according to a notice issued by the Chapar revenue circle officer. It also granted a one-time relief of Rs 50,000 for residents to transport their belongings.

Mondol, however, said he did not receive the money, nor would he go to the low-lying riverine area allotted by the district administration. “The river already destroyed us once. We won’t go near it.”

Thousands of families in Assam have been turned homeless in recent demolition drives.

In seven drives carried out in the last 45 days alone, the Assam government demolished the homes of 5,333 families, a majority...

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