• Intense evictions in Assam lead to over 3,400 Muslim homes bulldozed.
• BJP accused of using evictions to polarize voters before upcoming elections.
• Human rights groups label actions as part of broader anti-Muslim policies.
• Assam's Chief Minister claims Bengali Muslim migrants threaten local demographics.
• The crackdown follows deteriorating relations between India and Bangladesh.

In recent weeks, authorities in India's Assam state have undertaken a series of evictions that have resulted in the demolition of over 3,400 homes belonging to Bengali-speaking Muslims. This crackdown is described as the most intense in decades and coincides with the lead-up to state elections, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeks re-election. Many families have been displaced and are now sheltering under blue tarpaulins near the Bangladesh border, as evictions continue to escalate, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

The actions taken by the Assam government are part of a broader campaign against what authorities label "illegal occupants" of government land. Aran Ali, a 53-year-old resident affected by the eviction, stated, "The government repeatedly harasses us," emphasizing the distress faced by many who have been accused of being encroachers and foreigners despite their long-term residence in Assam, as reported by Dawn.

Assam has been a focal point for anti-immigrant sentiments, which are deeply rooted in fears that migrants from Bangladesh—both Hindus and Muslims—might overwhelm the local culture and economy. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has framed the issue around "Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh" allegedly threatening the demographic makeup of the region, claiming that migrant Muslims make up about 30% of Assam's population. He warns that this percentage could rise to nearly 50% in the near future, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

The recent evictions have been described by analysts as not merely security measures but as politically motivated actions intended to polarize voters ahead of elections. Opposition leaders have criticized Sarma's approach, suggesting that these measures are beneficial to the BJP's electoral strategy. Akhil Gogoi, an opposition lawmaker, stated, “These measures are politically beneficial and profitable for the BJP,” highlighting the political ramifications of the evictions, as noted by Dawn and South China Morning Post.

Concerns from human rights groups have surfaced, pointing out that these actions reflect broader discriminatory policies against Muslims in India. Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The Indian government is putting thousands of vulnerable people at risk in apparent pursuit of unauthorized immigrants,” asserting that the measures initiate risks for many, often targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims irrespective of their immigration status, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

As Assam continues to grapple with these tensions, the deteriorating bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has further inflamed anti-Bengali Muslim sentiments. Analysts contend that this context has turned the situation into a political asset for the BJP, with increased targeting of Bengali-speaking Muslims reinforcing existing impressions of them as "illegal immigrants," a sentiment echoed by Praveen Donthi of the International Crisis Group, highlighting the exploitative intersection of ethnonationalism and religious identity politics in Assam’s current climate, according to Dawn.