IAMC condemns ongoing humanitarian crisis and mass displacement of Bengali-Origin Muslims in Assam
Media Inquires: Safa Ahmed, media.info@iamc.com
Washington D.C., (August 4, 2025) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today strongly condemns the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the Indian state of Assam, where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is carrying out a brutal campaign of forced evictions and demolitions targeting Bengali-origin Muslims. Thousands of families have already been rendered homeless as their homes and livelihoods are being bulldozed in what can only be described as a state-sponsored campaign of ethnic and religious cleansing.
“This campaign is not only a gross violation of human rights but also constitutes a serious breach of international humanitarian law. By systematically displacing an entire community, the Indian government is effectively creating one of the world’s largest populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The world cannot remain silent as a vulnerable community is subjected to collective punishment and driven to the brink of statelessness,” said IAMC President Mohammed Jawad.
“The deliberate targeting of Bengali-origin Muslims based on their ethnic and religious identity is emblematic of the rising tide of Hindu nationalism that seeks to marginalize, dispossess, disenfranchise and erase vulnerable minority populations from public life,” Jawad added.
According to data published by India Hate Lab (IHL), the month of July alone saw 18 rallies and protests across 14 districts in Assam, many of which were organized or supported by BJP leaders or their supporters, which featured hate-filled speeches, open celebration of violent evictions, and calls for further demolitions.
In addition to state action, local Hindu nationalist and ethno-nationalist groups have launched vigilante campaigns aimed at intimidating, threatening, and forcibly removing Bengali-origin Muslims from their homes and villages. IHL documented nine cases of targeted violence and harassment between July 19 and July 30.
These mob-led operations have further escalated the crisis and underscore the failure of the state to protect the most marginalized citizens.
IAMC urgently calls on the international community, human rights organizations, and the United Nations to take immediate cognizance of this horrifying situation and press the Indian government to halt these evictions, provide reparations and shelter to displaced families, and hold accountable all those responsible for this human tragedy.
