Assam Gorukhuti eviction inquiry commission submits report, urges land regulation overhaul

The Assam government has received a comprehensive report on the 2021 Gorukhuti eviction drive that claimed two lives and displaced thousands. Retired high court judge BD Agarwal, who led the one-man inquiry commission, submitted the 319-page document to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The report's findings, based on 55 memoranda and testimonies from 44 witnesses, shed light on the controversial operation that demolished up to 1,400 homes and left over 7,000 people homeless. Among its 16 key recommendations, the commission emphasised the urgent need to address shortcomings in the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation.

The report critiqued the use of force during evictions and called for a re-examination of related clauses in the current regulations. It also advocated for providing adequate notice periods to allow for voluntary relocation, potentially minimising conflicts during such operations.

The Gorukhuti eviction, carried out over three days in September 2021, sparked widespread debate about land rights and the treatment of marginalised communities in Assam. In its aftermath, the state government initiated an agricultural project in the cleared area.