Gauhati High Court seeks clarity on rehab for evicted people in Assam
The Gauhati High Court has requested the Assam government to clarify its stance on providing rehabilitation and compensation to families displaced by a recent eviction drive in Sonapur. The drive, which targeted land occupied by migrant Bengali Muslims, resulted in violent clashes and two deaths.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing tensions regarding land rights, displacement, and the legal obligations of state authorities toward marginalized communities in India.
The Gauhati High Court has sought clarity from the Assam government on providing rehabilitation and compensation for people displaced during an eviction drive in September 2024.
The Kamrup Metropolitan district authorities conducted the eviction drive at Kachutoli in the Sonapur area, about 20 km east of Guwahati, to clear 100 bighas of notified tribal land. The evicted were mostly migrant Bengali Muslims.
In an order on September 7, Justice Devashis Barua issued notices to various government departments to record their stands on the plea for rehabilitation and compensation by 76 petitioners through affidavits by October 6.
The petitioners represent some of the 650 families, comprising about 2,000 people, who were evicted from September 23 to 25, 2024, their advocate Zunaid Khalid said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in