Assam Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah Rebuts Bangladesh Opposition Leader’s Claims Over Lutumari Eviction Drive
Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah has rejected allegations made by Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Leader of the Opposition in the Bangladesh Parliament and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, regarding the eviction drive at Lutumari Reserve Forest in Assam’s Nagaon district. The minister cited Supreme Court orders and due legal process, asserting that the operation was aimed at reclaiming notified forest land and was not directed against any particular religious or social community.
In a detailed response on social media platform X, Mallabaruah described the Bangladeshi leader’s allegations as presenting an “incomplete and misleading picture of the facts”. He outlined the legal and administrative grounds for the eviction operation.
Rahman had expressed concern over the eviction of Muslim families and alleged demolition of mosques in Assam, presenting the issue from a religious perspective. Responding to the allegations, Mallabaruah maintained that the operation was conducted in accordance with the law to reclaim notified forest land.
According to the minister, the eviction drive conducted on October 17 and 18, 2026, covered 314 hectares of notified forest land in Lutumari Reserve Forest and affected 563 families.
Mallabaruah referred to directions issued by the Supreme Court of India, including an order dated February 10, 2026, which prescribed procedures for eviction from notified forest areas in Assam. He also pointed out that Special Leave Petitions (Civil) Nos. 28719–28723/2026, filed by the petitioners, were disposed of by the Supreme Court on September 2, 2026.
The minister emphasised that the occupants had pursued their available legal remedies and that the state government proceeded only after following the prescribed legal process.
Addressing concerns over the manner in which the eviction was carried out, Mallabaruah said notices had been served well in advance. He added that the government waited until the rainy and flood season had ended, taking into account the difficulties displacement could cause to affected families.
He further stated that the occupants were given sufficient time to vacate their homes and remove their belongings before the operation began. According to the minister, the proceedings remained peaceful, with no reported resistance or use of force.
Underscoring the importance of forest conservation, Mallabaruah said protecting notified forest land was both a legal obligation and an ecological necessity. He reiterated that the operation was intended to reclaim forest land and was not aimed at any particular community.
The reclaimed land is proposed to be restored through plantations of indigenous forest species. The initiative is expected to help regenerate wildlife habitats, particularly elephant habitats, and contribute to efforts to reduce human-elephant conflict.
The minister also acknowledged the difficulties faced by families during eviction proceedings, while maintaining that forest protection and the rule of law should not be interpreted selectively through a religious lens.
By citing the legal proceedings and the proposed ecological restoration measures, Mallabaruah challenged the allegations made by the Bangladeshi opposition leader and rejected the claim that the eviction drive was religiously motivated.
