Guwahati. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he will be non-partisan and will not allow ‘Miyan’ Muslims to take over Assam. Sarma was speaking in the assembly in connection with the adjournment motion of opposition parties on the law and order situation in the state in the backdrop of the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon. He said if the population growth was kept under control, the crime rate would not have increased.
Sharma said, “Not even a single case of rape is acceptable. Yet if the population growth along with the number of rape cases in the last few years is taken into account, the crime rate has reduced. There has been a lot of improvement in the last 10 years.” On the incident of members of the Marwari community kneeling down and apologizing for the alleged attack on a 17-year-old wrestler in Shiv Sagar, Sharma claimed that it was a ‘voluntary’ step.
He rejected the allegations of Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia. Sharma claimed, “Our cabinet minister Ranoj Pegu was sent to ensure that there was no misunderstanding. The Marwari community showed generosity and the matter was resolved. No one forced them to kneel.” Saikia hit back saying that if the police had immediately arrested those involved in the attack, the matter would not have worsened so much. Sharma claimed that posts on social media against Marwaris by members of the minority community escalated the tension, on which the Congress and the AIUDF accused him (the Chief Minister) of doing ‘dirty politics’ on the issue.
When opposition MLAs raised their voices, the chief minister questioned, “Why do you get angry when we talk about minorities? Has the Congress declared that it does not need the majority community?” Sharma targeted the Congress and AIUDF MLAs and said, “There is competition between you for minority votes, I am not in this race.” When the opposition accused him of being biased, Sharma hit back, “I will be biased. What can you do?” Amid the heated exchange, AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam said that people from lower Assam will go to the districts of Upper Assam as it is their right. He cited the diktat of some organizations that people should leave Upper Assam immediately.
Sharma replied, “Why will people from lower Assam go to upper Assam? So that Miyan Muslims can take over Assam. We will not let this happen.” After the Chief Minister’s statement, there was an uproar in the House and members of the ruling and opposition parties came near the chair. Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary rejected the opposition’s notice of adjournment motion and adjourned the proceedings for 10 minutes. The word ‘Miyan’ has been used as a protest for the people of the Bengali-speaking Muslim community and non-Bengali speaking people usually call them Bangladeshi migrants. In the last few years, people of the non-Bengali speaking community have started using this word.
MLAs from Congress, AIUDF and CPI(M) and the only independent member Akhil Gogoi had given an adjournment motion to discuss the situation arising out of rising crime incidents including crimes against women in the state. When the proceedings of the House resumed, the Chief Minister continued his talk on the issue and claimed that the statement of AIUDF MLA Islam would spoil the atmosphere and his tone was aggressive. The Chief Minister said that it is a constitutional right of a person to go and settle or work at any place, but if doing so is not welcomed by the local people, then it should not be done.
He said, “As long as the rights of the natives are protected, they can do so. But if someone tries to dominate the local people, it will not be good.” Sharma said that the ‘Miyan’ Muslim and the opposition MLAs representing them will have to prove through their actions that there is no threat to Hindus in any way. He said, “If a Hindu family becomes a victim of crime in a Muslim-dominated area, then the Muslims of that area should remove their fears and ensure that they do not have to leave the area.” Meanwhile, the Assembly Speaker suspended Akhil Gogoi from the House for some time for disrupting the proceedings.
There is a need for a debate on demographic changes related to Hindus and Muslims in Assam: Himanta
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said there is a need for a debate on demographic changes pertaining to Hindus and Muslims in the state. He said demographic changes are taking place in some parts of Assam like the lower districts and this could lead to a “huge humanitarian disaster”.
Responding to a resolution in the Assembly on demographic changes in specific districts, Sharma said, “The Hindu-Muslim issue is the most burning issue in the state today; we need to debate and resolve it.” The chief minister claimed that Hindu ‘Miyas’ were migrating from Muslim-dominated areas. ‘Miyas’ is a term originally used to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam and non-Bengali-speaking people usually identify them as Bangladeshi refugees.
Sharma claimed, “Demographic change is happening so fast in lower Assam that it can lead to a tremendous humanitarian disaster. Hindus have lost their land and rights. Villages with Hindu names no longer have any Hindu residents.” He said a document is being prepared, which will detail demographic changes according to polling stations. Sharma said his government will come up with a law in April, which will ensure that marriages take place in a “dignified manner”.
When Himanta is under pressure, he tries to divide the society: Gaurav Gogoi
Congress Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday alleged that whenever the Chief Minister of Assam is under pressure, he starts dividing the society. Gogoi made this allegation a few hours after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma said that he would be biased and would not let ‘Miya’ Muslims take over Assam.
Reacting to Sharma’s recent statements after the gang rape incident in Dhing in Nagaon district, Gogoi said in a post on ‘X’, “Whenever Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma is under pressure, he tries to divide the society.” The Congress leader expressed confidence that the people of Assam are wiser than Sharma and they will not fall prey to his “divisive rhetoric”. Gogoi said, “He knows that he has failed as a chief minister. The people of Assam will remain united and vote his arrogant government out of power in 2026.”