Uriamghat used as satellite base to manipulate votes in Upper Assam: CM Sarma
Chief Minister revealed that evicted Uriamghat families requested to retain voting rights despite shifting to Dhing
A file image of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (Photo:@himantabiswa/X)
Guwahati, Aug 21: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Thursday, sounded the alarm over what he described as a “dangerous conspiracy” involving recently evicted families from Uriamghat.
Addressing the press after a Cabinet meeting at the State Guest House in Kainadhara, Sarma said he had received an application from some families who had been evicted from Uriamghat and relocated to Dhing.
“Strangely, instead of requesting that their names be transferred to the voter list of their new area, they asked that their voting rights continue in Uriamghat,” he noted.
The Chief Minister highlighted that such a demand was far from a simple matter.
“Uriamghat has been used as a satellite base to penetrate Upper Assam. If families live in Dhing but vote in Uriamghat, it becomes a tool for manipulation. This shows a deeper conspiracy at play,” he cautioned.
Sarma further stated that the request demonstrated a “deliberate design” to maintain control over Uriamghat despite physical displacement.
“This is not an innocent demand. It is a calculated move to keep a foothold in a sensitive region, and our indigenous Assamese people aren’t even aware of it,” he added.
The Chief Minister urged vigilance, stressing that such activities must be recognised as part of a larger effort threatening Assam’s security.
Earlier, during a Cabinet briefing last month, Sarma had warned that Assam was facing systematic encroachment—not only in forests and environmental resources but also through demographic changes.
He highlighted that while deforestation and land grabbing were serious issues, the greater threat lay in the organised migration of people with the intent to alter demographic patterns, particularly in districts such as Golaghat and Jorhat, including Uriamghat, Titabor, and Mariani.
Recalling a survey conducted on July 25 ahead of the Uriamghat eviction, the Chief Minister had said the government had outlined plans to safeguard land, restore the Rengma forest, and open avenues for lawful business activities for local youth.
Reports indicating Uriamghat’s emerging role as a hub for drug trafficking and illegal arms were also cited, prompting urgent government intervention.
Sarma had previously underlined that the area was becoming increasingly unsafe, necessitating immediate action.