Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated on August 4, 2025, that no Indian or Assamese citizen would face eviction amid the ongoing drives against alleged illegal encroachments across the state. The most recent operations targeted forest lands in the Golaghat district, with authorities reclaiming nearly 1,000 bighas of land and displacing more than 350 families in Nambor South Reserve Forest. This follows last week’s eviction of around 1,500 families, predominantly Muslims, from the Rengma Reserve Forest near the Assam-Nagaland border. Sarma emphasized that unauthorized occupation by indigenous people does not constitute encroachment and assured the safety of non-tribal residents, especially in the Bodoland Territorial Region. He urged locals not to shelter the evicted and asserted the government’s commitment to continue the anti-encroachment measures to protect community and land. Authorities have also announced upcoming eviction drives in other areas, including Negheribil in Merapani, scheduled to begin on August 8. The operations have proceeded with minimal resistance, reflecting a push for ecological restoration and heightened political focus on land rights in Assam.