Assam government mulling to clear illegal immigrants from 5545 bighas of Barpeta's Satra land

The Commission of Satra lands submitted its interim report to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on December 2 and as per the report, maximum encroachment has been reported in the Barpeta district which accounts for around 5545 bighas of land.

Notably, as per the official census 2011 and population data 2022 of Barpeta district, Muslims are the majority in Barpeta state. 

The census of 2011 also states that out of the total population, 8.7% of people live in Urban areas while 91.3 per cent live in Rural areas with a total population of 1,693,622 as per the census.

Muslims constitute 70.74 per cent of Barpeta's population while Hindus are a minority in Barpeta state forming 29.11 per cent of the total population.

The population of Children of age 0-6 years in the Barpeta district is 287829 which is 17 per cent of the total population. There are 146777 male children and 141052 female children between the ages of 0-6 years.

Also Read: AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal makes sexist remarks, says Hindus must use Muslim formula while giving birth

However, the Assam government on February 2022, evicted 37 families from the Bengali Muslim community, who had allegedly encroached upon 40 bighas of land as part of the eviction drive.

The action came after allegations regarding encroachment of Satra land in Assam wherein Satras blamed “illegal migrants” from Bangladesh for illegally claiming the Satra land.

Now with the submission of an interim report from the Satras and other religious institutions under the umbrella of a three-member Commission to the state government of Assam a total of 33265.7 bighas (8413.89 ha) of land being under their possession and a total of 7504.2 bighas (1898.04 ha) as being under encroachment. 

Out of this, the maximum encroachment has been reported in the Barpeta district (5545 bighas) and represents about 74% of what has been reported and assessed so far.

Further, the Assam Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Rules, 2015, requires the administration to come up with a rehabilitation and resettlement scheme, after seeking consent from the affected families, hence with 5545 bighas under encroachment, it will be a daunting task for the Himanta Biswa Sarma led Assam government to cope up with the Satra land in Barpeta.

As per the report submitted by the three-member Commission, which was constituted following a decision taken by the State Cabinet in its Meeting held at Bongaigaon on 24 November 2021 Barpeta is followed by Lakhimpur & Nagaon districts in middle and upper Assam and two other Lower Assam districts viz. Bongaingaon and Dhubri. 

In respect of Barpeta, the Satras seriously affected and found to be most vulnerable include, Bhattadev Satra Byaskuchi (4000 bighas), Barpeta Satra (859 bighas), Sundaridia (282 bighas) Moinbori (140 bighas), Pirala Satra (101 bighas) Gamura (65 bighas) and Basudev Dewaloi Na-Satra (63 bighas). 

In respect of Bangaigaon, the single most affected Satra is Raghunath Satra, which alone has reported encroachment of a total of 309 bighas. In Dhubri district too, one of the most badly impacted Satras is Simolabari Purani Satra, whose nearly 200 bighas are under encroachment. 

In the Lakhimpur district, three Satras are important viz. Adi Alengi (122 bighas) Sakopora (138 bighas) and Purana Kamalabari Satra (300 bighas).