The notion of the poor as “encroachers” and “illegal” residents further discourage state interventions as they become dispensable.

The mass eviction is the second to take place this year, and is part of a larger endeavour to disenfranchise Bengali Muslims in Assam.

A petition in the court stated families have resided on the government land since 1980s -- but face eviction due to lack of proof.

The phrase, currently in use to describe Rohingya refugees, dehumanizes people fleeing violence and frames them as a security threat.