NDA 3.0 priorities   

Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital and briefed him on the initial progress and priorities of the newly formed NDA 3.0 government in Assam. This is an important ritual which Dr Sarma has dutifully performed, especially when the BJP-led government in the state has started its third consecutive innings, one whose performance will have a long-lasting impact not just on the state but also on the entire Northeastern region. The Chief Minister has not disclosed the specific points or issues that he discussed with the Prime Minister or placed before him as top priorities. But it is common knowledge that development – all-round socio-economic development – stands at the top of Dr Sarma’s list of priorities, which again should have several sub-points. Whether Dr Sarma makes it public or not, the fact remains that the BJP-led alliance is committed to safeguarding the interests of the indigenous communities of the state while working towards strengthening the overall national security scenario in the region. This issue has several aspects. While the NRC re-verification process has yet to take off, Dr Sarma is on record saying that he is in favour of 20% sample re-verification in the border districts and those districts which have undergone massive demographic change and 10% sample re-verification in the other districts. It is presumed that he must have placed this issue before the Prime Minister because NRC re-verification and preparing a flawless NRC are a must for ensuring national security and protecting the sovereignty of the country in the Northeast, which would also enhance protection for the indigenous communities in the face of the ongoing dangerous demographic invasion. Dr Sarma, for one, has, however, made one aspect public quite emphatically since he launched the NDA’s campaign for the 2026 Assam Assembly election. It is the eviction drive, which is intended to clear all government land from the clutches of people with doubtful citizenship antecedents (read illegal migrants). Protecting government land and land belonging to various religious and spiritual institutions in Assam is one step towards depriving illegal migrants of establishing a foothold in the state. Though deportation of illegal migrants may not be immediately possible on a large scale, the eviction drive will definitely force them to look for space/land in other states of India. In such a situation, they can be prosecuted under the citizenship provisions which are applicable in other parts of the country where the provisions emanating from the Assam Accord may not be necessarily applicable.