For decades, Assam faced stagnation-not from external foes, but from internal decay. Vote-bank politics stifled development, while illegal encroachment devastated forest lands and heritage sites. Corruption turned government jobs into commodities. As the state suffered, its leaders opted for silence and appeasement instead of accountability. Then came Himanta Biswa Sarma, who took the helm as Chief Minister in May 2021. His aggressive governance model has dramatically altered the political landscape of Northeast India. Where the previous Congress government sought compromise with encroachers, Sarma brought bulldozers. While they spoke of reform, he delivered results. Concerned about political repercussions, he prioritized the rule of law. Sarma’s dedication is unmatched; he reportedly sleeps only 1.5 to 2 hours daily, fueled purely by his commitment to serve the people of Assam.
Sarma’s tenure has prominently featured a series of eviction drives aimed at suspected illegal Bangladeshi settlers. Thousands of acres of government land, preserved forests, and illegally occupied heritage sites have been cleared. Bulldozers rolled through Gorukhuti, Dhalpur, and Lumding. Structures on wetlands, riverbanks, and wildlife corridors were demolished with no hesitation. The message was unequivocal: illegal occupation would not be tolerated and must end. Critics accused him of inciting communal polarization, while international NGOs flagged potential human rights violations. Opposition parties dubbed it demographic warfare. Sarma remained steadfast, clarifying that this was never a religious issue, but rather a matter of reclaiming state sovereignty.
For years, illegal settlers had encroached on Hindu temples and culturally significant sites with little to no consequence, shielded by appeasement politics under Congress governance. Sarma accurately named this phenomenon as civilizational encroachment disguised as demographic necessity. The evictions were not random; they were thoroughly planned, backed by legal grounds and meticulous surveys. Each eviction was preceded by notifications, satellite mapping, and coordination at the district level. Importantly, these operations connected to ecological restoration efforts, such as reclaiming wetlands to control floods, clearing riverbanks to prevent erosion, and safeguarding forest cover from devastation.
In February 2023, over 5,200 acres were cleared in Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary. This area had lost ten rhinos due to poaching and habitat disruption, but now they are returning. Similarly, in Lumding Reserve Forest, 3,485 acres were freed, allowing nearly 200 elephants, leopards, and other wildlife to reappear in previously converted farmland. In the Orang Tiger Reserve, 7,163 acres were reclaimed, restoring vital habitat for one of India’s smallest tiger populations. By January 2025, Sarma stated that a total of 145,000 bighas, roughly 47,850 acres, would be reclaimed.
While eviction drives attracted attention, Sarma has quietly revolutionized multiple facets of governance. In 2021, the government dismantled the State Madrasa Board and converted all 1,281 government-funded madrasas into general schools. By 2023, around 800 madrasas had been closed or reconverted, ensuring public funds supported modern education rather than religious instruction.
Under Sarma’s leadership, Assam attracted diverse investments, from food processing to electronics and semiconductor industries. The Advantage Assam summits evolved into platforms for securing actual deals. New industrial parks emerged in Jorhat, Guwahati, and Silchar. Sarma reported that projects worth Rs 1.78 lakh crore, initiated during the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit, are in progress. In January 2026, he became the first Assam Chief Minister to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the state signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) valued at approximately Rs 1 lakh crore, showcasing strong global investor confidence.
Recruitment in Assam had become a breeding ground for corruption under Congress. Sarma transformed this system by implementing fully digital, merit-based hiring across all departments. By January 2026, over 150,000 government jobs were filled through transparent processes-exceeding the total number from the past two decades under the previous administration. Young people who lacked financial means to pay middlemen now found pathways to employment.
Infrastructure improvements accompanied each reform. New bridges connected previously isolated areas, while highway expansions halved travel times. Prime Minister Modi initiated the 35 km elevated corridor project in the Kaziranga section to protect wildlife from vehicular traffic. Sarma also expanded his secretariat to Dibrugarh, establishing it as Assam’s second capital. A bench of the Guwahati High Court is set to relocate to Dibrugarh, alleviating the burdens on citizens who previously had to travel hundreds of kilometers for legal matters.
Sarma’s tenure is not without flaws; the eviction drives, while legally justified, have caused humanitarian distress, and his aggressive tactics have ignited political divisions. However, achieving perfection was not the aim. The objective was to dismantle a failing system that had afflicted Assam for generations under Congress governance.
Sarma exemplified decisive governance-willing to confront entrenched interests and execute broad strategies, accomplishing in years what decades of consensus-seeking under Congress could not. The sentiment on the ground is evident: people across Assam desire him as Chief Minister for another term. They hope he will finalize the transformation of Assam from a state characterized by decay and appeasement into one of development, dignity, and effective governance.
Himanta Biswa Sarma has not only altered Assam’s trajectory; he has demonstrated that unapologetic leadership, supported by execution and institutional integrity, can rebuild a state from its foundation. This legacy will define Assam for years to come.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of India Today NE or its affiliates.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/opinion/story/the-iron-will-of-assam-1343314-2026-02-09?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-02-09 09:14:00
