Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Senior Supreme Court advocate Upamanyu Hazarika claims the Assam Land Revenue Regulation Amendment of 2026 jeopardizes local heritage. It treats migrants of Bangladeshi and East Bengal origin like indigenous Assamese. This move threatens to undo protections for Satra land, which remains under heavy pressure. Roughly 15,288 bighas, or about 5,000 acres, are currently encroached upon, primarily in the Barpeta and Nagaon districts.
The law shields sites over 250 years old and restricts settlement within a five-kilometre radius. However, Hazarika argues the definition of original inhabitant is far too loose. It covers those with three generations of residency prior to 2006. He believes this classification grants encroachers a legal foothold, making eviction difficult. The category groups Bangladeshi-origin settlers with indigenous ethnic communities like the Moran, Matak, Chutia, Koch Rajbongshi, and Ahom, plus disadvantaged groups such as Adivasis.
Hazarika insists the amendment betrays the Assam Accord. It ignores Clause 6 safeguards meant to protect indigenous identity. Previous reports from the 2017 Brahma Committee and the 2020 Clause 6 committee proposed using 1951 as the base year for residency. “The entire foreigner identification process and reservation for indigenous people has been nullified,” Hazarika stated at a Guwahati press conference.
The lawyer is now pushing for a complete re-verification of the National Register of Citizens. He points to the 19,65,657 applicants excluded from the final list. Official data shows 1,679 Bangladeshis were deported between 2024 and June 30, 2026. Hazarika views this as a drop in the bucket compared to a 2016 Union Home Ministry estimate of 80 lakh Bangladeshis living in the state. He contends the state government has failed to keep its promises regarding immigration reform. Hazarika has moved his practice to Guwahati to lead a new forum focused on these issues.
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