In a significant event, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made heated statements, stating that he “will take sides” and “will not let Miya Muslims take over all of Assam.” Various opposition leaders submitted a police complaint accusing him of promoting enmity between religious and racial groups. The opposition leaders submitted the complaint at the Dispur police station, which was confirmed by Guwahati East DCP Mrinal Deka, although no FIR had been registered at the police station as of Wednesday evening. This incident has sparked significant attention, raising concerns about the potential for escalating communal tensions in Assam.
Opposition Leaders Accuse Assam CM of Inciting Communal Discord
This complaint was submitted on behalf of the United Opposition Forum, which is an organization of various political parties whose main purpose is to oppose the BJP and all associated political parties. The protest was led by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Borah and Assam Jatiya Parishad’s Lurinjyoti Gogoi. Even though Independent Rajya Sabha member Ajit Bhuyan and the Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, have filed such complaints, Congress Dhubri member Rakibul Hussain also followed the same path.
The opposition leaders alleged that Sarma undertook a ‘criminal conspiracy’ aimed at provoking violence in Assam, a state that has previously witnessed sociopolitical conflict between different communities. The Opposition was not happy with Sarma’s words, fearing they could trigger violence in the region. This complaint is significant, not least due to recent events and several weaker forms of targeting that have occurred in Assam. The state has witnessed ethnic and religious tensions in the past, and the opposition leaders emphasize that such statements from Sarma could spark tensions again. The opposition asserts that they do not twist the Chief Minister’s words into a political slogan but feel that he genuinely wants to turn one group of people against another. They regard him as a potential threat to peace in the region.
United Opposition Forum Files Police Complaint
During the submission of the case, the opposition leaders claimed that Sarma could provoke a “riot-like situation in the state unless he is arrested or restrained.” In the complaint filed, they asked for Sarma to be charged with criminal conspiracy under Section 120 and promoting enmity between different groups under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. This legal provision is meant to prevent actions that may lead to disturbances of peace and order in communal living, and the opposition leaders say that Sarma’s actions fall within this category. They believe that without immediate intervention, the Chief Minister’s discourse could lead to mass confrontation.
The complaint was lodged when communal relations between two communities in Assam were already under strain, and with the recent gang rape of a girl in Nagaon Sadar by Bengali-Muslim suspects, tensions have worsened. This has created a lot of anger and resentment among various communities, and the opposition leaders fear that Sarma’s statements may lead to further resentment. They apprehend that the Chief Minister could foment a riot-like situation, especially against the Bengali-Muslims, who are already known to have been targeted in pogroms in the state.
Allegations of Criminal Conspiracy and Promoting Enmity
The complaint described frequent communal incidents in different areas of Assam, with specific reference to the Sivasagar district, which the opposition leaders claim was due to the provocative utterances of Sarma and his cabinet colleagues. They pointed out that both Sarma and his party colleagues have tried to portray the Nagaon incident as an ‘attack on indigenous people,’ which only deepened communal polarization. They argue that what Sarma is doing is part of a well-orchestrated plan to foment trouble and create an atmosphere of lawlessness in the state. They believe that the Chief Minister’s statements could be a strategy to politically divide society in order to gain absolute support from specific groups, especially in the upcoming elections.
The opposition leaders also stressed that the outcome is already evident on the ground: Sarma’s words have begun to incite aggression. As evidence, they provided accounts of attacks on members of the Bengali Muslim community in different parts of the state, including the Sivasagar district. They argued that these attacks are due to the fact that the Chief Minister has made statements that encouraged some groups to attack people they perceive as ‘intruders’ or a ‘violation’ of the Indian population’s ‘sovereignty.’
Previous Controversial Statements by Chief Minister Highlighted
The complaint also recalled the scandalous remarks made by Sarma in the past, such as the statement he made last year, saying that he would ‘clear’ Guwahati’s ‘footpaths of Miya vegetable sellers,’ which is a form of bigotry against Bengali Muslims. The Assam Chief Minister was accused by the opposition leaders of meting out unfair treatment to Muslims in his speeches. They pointed to a recent event in which it was alleged that Shah Alom, a journalist, was targeted with a communal utterance by Sarma. They warned that such rhetoric holds the danger of causing unrest in the socially sensitive state of Assam. By using the term “Miya,” the opposition leaders insinuate that Sarma is intentionally provoking and typecasting a certain community.
The opposition leaders also referred to Sarma’s recent statement on the Nagaon incident, where he said that the incident was part of a ‘bigger intention of grabbing land and threatening the identity of the Assamese people.’ The opposition leaders cautioned that continued utterances may lead to escalating tensions between different communities, and if Sarma continues this way, he will incite violence in society. The opposition leaders are apprehensive that this will push Sarma to deliver statements that will create conditions for riots, destruction, and loss of lives and property, besides deepening divisions within Assamese society.
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