Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 15 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday delivered a stern warning on Independence Day, cautioning the Assamese people about the dangers of remaining silent in the face of demographic changes.
He emphasised that if the current trends continue unchecked, the state's identity, land, and foundation will be lost forever
Sarma highlighted the threat posed by "unknown people" or infiltrators, who he claims are aggressively taking over land, economic spaces, and cultural institutions in Assam.
"Assam can't remain silent. If we remain silent, one day we will have to lose our Jati, Mati, Bheti (Community, Land, Foundation) in our own state. That day is not far away. If Assamese people remain silent today.... If the youths of Assam remain silent and if the Assamese are always willing to compromise, then within just 10 years, we will lose our Community, Land and Foundation. After 15 years, 80 per cent of ministers of the Assam cabinet will be from them, and after two decades, an unknown Chief Minister will hoist this Independence Day flag. This is the future of Assam," said Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The CM criticised previous governments for allowing large-scale encroachment and urged the bureaucracy to take action against encroachers, emphasising that his government will not compromise on this issue.
Sarma stressed the importance of preserving Assam's cultural heritage and identity, referencing the birthplace of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva and the sacred Kamakhya temple.
He further said that, "A so-called section of people had compromised. The leftists had surrendered themselves. A section of Jatiyatabadi has now surrendered itself before the unknown people. We won't be silent, and if we remain silent, our Assamese community will not survive. A day will come, just as they aggressively took over Batadrava--the birthplace of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, a similar situation will happen in the Maa Kamakhya Nilachal. I just want to introduce the real picture of the state with our community," Sarma said.
He appealed to the people of Assam not to sell or rent land to "unknown people" and to prioritize self-reliance to safeguard the state's future.
Sarma said, "We will not sell our lands to unknown people, we will not rent any house to unknown people, and we will not allow government lands to be encroached."
He said that the bureaucracy under previous governments has a lot to answer for, as to how such a mind-boggling scale of encroachment by infiltrators was allowed in Assam.
"I want to appeal to the government officers, if a portion of government land is encroached, the government will take action against them. Today, by standing under the national flag, I appeal to the bureaucracy of Assam, we will not accept compromise. When the encroachers encroached thousands of bighas of land in front of you, you failed to fulfil your responsibilities," Assam CM said.
He warned district commissioners that they would be held accountable for any future encroachments under their watch.
The CM pledged to evict illegal settlers from government land, tribal belts, and grazing areas, emphasising that this is a battle for the state's very existence.
Sarma urged the people of Assam to adopt self-reliance and prioritize opportunities for their own community to postpone potential disaster.
"Today, I want to appeal to every employee, don't compromise in office also.... opportunity, facilities are for us, not for unknown people. If we pledge that we will not sell land, not to rent a house, not to give opportunities to unknown people and if we embrace self-reliance, then we can postpone the disaster that could come in 20 years to 40 years. After 40 years, the new generation of Assam will find a new path," the Chief Minister added.