STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Feb 10 : Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday asserted that the government will soon secure the historic land of Rojabari (Raj Darbar) located in Charaideo district, the first capital of the Ahom era, following concerns about encroachment and the establishment of madrasas on the site.
In a post on X, Sarma said the state administration is committed to freeing the historic heritage site from illegal occupation and ensuring its protection for posterity.
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The announcement comes amid a backdrop of widespread eviction and anti-encroachment drives being carried out across Assam in recent months, aimed at reclaiming government, forest and reserve lands from unauthorised settlers.
Since mid-2025, the state government has launched several large-scale eviction operations in districts such as Golaghat, Hailakandi, Patharkandi and Dhubri, with authorities targeting encroachments on forest lands, reserve forest areas and wetlands.
In some of the latest actions, over 2,000 families were served eviction notices as part of an exercise to clear tens of thousands of hectares of encroached reserved forest land, with heavy deployment of police and forest personnel overseeing the drives.
Assam has been in the news for its aggressive land reclamation campaign under the Sarma-led government, which maintains that such drives are necessary to protect the ecological balance, uphold the rule of law, and preserve the identity and resources of indigenous communities.
Authorities say they have reclaimed vast areas of land that had been encroached upon, emphasising that prior notices are issued and operations carried out with support from security agencies.
However, the eviction drives have also generated controversy and criticism from political opponents, civil society groups and affected residents, who argue that the operations disproportionately impact certain communities and call for more humane rehabilitation measures.
Despite these debates, the Assam government continues to pursue its anti-encroachment agenda with commitments to enforce legality and protect key state assets.
In this context, Sarma’s statement on Rojabari underlines the government’s intention to extend similar enforcement and conservation efforts to protect places of historical and cultural significance from encroachment, ensuring they remain safeguarded as part of Assam’s rich heritage.
