Opposition Leaders File Police Complaint Against Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Amid Rising Controversy Over Anti-Muslim Remarks
A day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that he "will take sides" and "will not let Miya Muslims take over all of Assam," opposition leaders filed a police complaint on August 27 accusing him of promoting enmity between different religious and ethnic groups. The complaint was lodged at the Dispur police station by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Borah and Assam Jatiya Parishad's Lurinjyoti Gogoi, representing the United Opposition Forum, a coalition of groups opposed to the BJP and its allies.
The complaint, supported by Independent Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan, Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia, and Congress’s Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain, accuses Sarma of "criminal conspiracy" to incite unrest in the state. It warns that Sarma's rhetoric could lead to a "riot-like situation" unless he is "arrested or restrained." The leaders have called for an FIR to be registered against Sarma for criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The controversy comes at a time of heightened communal tensions in Assam, particularly following the alleged gangrape of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon district on August 22. Sarma and several ministers have labeled the incident, in which the accused are Bengali-Muslims, as an "attack on the indigenous." The complaint claims that Sarma is using the incident to "whip up communal frenzy," pointing to attacks on minority communities in Sivasagar district by BJP workers and leaders as a result.
Editorials from major publications have condemned Sarma's remarks. The Telegraph described his statements as "venomous," warning that such rhetoric could further inflame communal tensions in the state. The editorial criticized Sarma for irresponsibly using his platform to target a specific community, thereby exacerbating divisions in Assam.
The Hindu also weighed in, noting that Sarma's comments reflect a dangerous trend of politicizing ethnic and religious differences for electoral gain. The newspaper called for responsible leadership to prevent the further deterioration of communal harmony in Assam and urged the state administration to act swiftly to address the rising tensions.
The opposition's complaint also references Sarma's history of making provocative statements, including his controversial remarks last year about clearing Guwahati's footpaths of "Miya" vegetable vendors—a term often used derogatorily for Bengali-Muslims. The complaint argues that Sarma's continuous public tirades could create serious disharmony between communities in Assam, with potentially violent consequences if left unchecked.
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