New Delhi/Guwahati. Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal on Wednesday criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his statement regarding ‘Miyan Muslims’. Sharma had said in the state assembly on Tuesday that he would be biased and would not allow ‘Miyan Muslims’ to take over Assam.
He was speaking in the assembly in relation to the adjournment motion of opposition parties on the law and order situation in the state in the backdrop of the gang rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon. Sibal said that Sharma’s statement is “purely spreading communal poison” and one cannot remain silent on such remarks.
He wrote on ‘X’, “Himanta (Assam Chief Minister) has said that he will take a side, will not let Miyan Muslims take over the whole of Assam. My side is: A statement spreading complete communal poison. Action should be taken. Silence is not an answer.” 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, activists associated with the community have started using this word as a protest.
Assam opposition parties file complaint against CM
Opposition parties in Assam on Wednesday lodged a complaint against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accusing him of ‘promoting enmity’ on the basis of religion and caste. They accused Sharma of trying to create communal tension by targeting a specific community, which could lead to a riot-like situation in the state. The complaint was lodged at the Dispur police station by Lurinjyoti Gogoi, general secretary of the United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA). Leaders of other parties of the forum were also present with Gogoi. UOFA is an alliance of 18 parties in Assam.
Information shared with the media said, “We are filing this FIR against the state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma for trying to promote enmity between different groups on the basis of religion and caste.” Police said that a complaint has been received by a station officer, but no case has been registered yet. Referring to the alleged gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in Dhing, the UOFA claimed that Sharma was “trying to incite communal frenzy by targeting a particular community”.