Assam’s BJP CM calls Muslim man’s home demolition ‘Diwali cleaning’

Dispur: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has drawn widespread criticism after describing the demolition of a Muslim man's house in Lakhimpur as a pre-Diwali cleaning exercise in a post on social media.

Sarma shared a video on X showing a bulldozer razing the house, describing the demolition as a house-cleaning exercise ahead of the festival. The post triggered outrage, with critics accusing the Chief Minister of making light of a family's distress and turning the destruction of a poor man's home into a festive spectacle.

Congress MP from Kishanganj, Dr Mohammad Javed, strongly condemned the post, highlighting the plight of the Muslim man who was left watching helplessly as his house was demolished. He accused Sarma of displaying a cruel attitude and warned that those in positions of power would not remain there permanently, while the suffering inflicted on innocent people could leave scars lasting for generations.

The incident has also revived criticism of repeated demolitions in Assam, carried out by the state government in the name of removing alleged illegal encroachments, with minority communities frequently claiming to be targeted.

Opposition leaders and human rights activists have questioned the use of a religious festival to celebrate the destruction of poor people's homes, describing the approach as unconstitutional and divisive. The government has also faced allegations of continuing demolitions in disregard of the Supreme Court's guidelines.