Assam's Eviction Drive: A Complex Web of Land, Identity, and Inter-State Tensions
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Internal Security (Illegal Migration in Northeast), Indian Polity (Assam Accord, Inner Line Permit - ILP, Forest Rights Act), Geography (Northeast states and their borders).
Mains:
GS Paper 1: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India; Communalism, regionalism & secularism.
GS Paper 2: Government policies and interventions; Inter-State relations.
GS Paper 3: Security challenges and their management in border areas; Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
Key Highlights from the News
The government's action of evicting encroachers from forest lands and government lands in Assam has become controversial.
Critics allege these actions primarily target Bengali Muslims. Government sources state the measure is to prevent 'land jihad'.
This issue has deep historical roots, including the anti-foreigner Assam Agitation of 1979-85 and the subsequent Assam Accord.
The government has clarified that this action will not affect indigenous people living in forest areas since before 2005, who fall under the Forest Rights Act.
Fearing that people displaced from Assam might enter their states, neighboring states like Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram have tightened security at their borders.
These states have also made the issuance of inner-line permits more stringent.
Encroachment is also a major reason for inter-state border disputes between Assam and its neighboring states.
In this matter, the Guwahati High Court has suggested forming a high-level committee for Assam and four other Northeastern states to work together.
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