Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday alleged that the previous Indian National Congress government allowed encroachment on nearly 30 lakh bighas of forest land during its time in power.

In his final address to the outgoing Assam Assembly, Sarma said the present Bharatiya Janata Party government has reclaimed around 1.5 lakh bighas through eviction drives. He said no tribal families lost their homes during the operations. Instead, affected families were given land pattas.

The Chief Minister described the government’s actions as an effort to correct past mistakes. He said steps were taken in areas such as madrassa reforms, illegal immigration, child marriage, polygamy, and corruption.

Sarma also claimed that Assam is now emerging as a strong part of the Indian economy. His remarks come ahead of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections expected in the coming months.