Won't allow Muslims to takeover Assam: CM Himanta Sarma

Guwahati: Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that he will not allow Miya Muslims to take over the state. He, who is also a controversial BJP leader who never hesitated to spew problematic hate speech against the Muslim community, wanted to know why Muslims wanted to move to Upper Assam, Scroll reported.

On Tuesday, he said at the state assembly that the leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia and Jania MLA Rafiqul Islam knowingly or unknowingly said a “big thing” on the day that people will go from Lower Assam to Upper Assam. He asked why should they wanted to migrate like that. He claimed that it is because Miya Muslims wanted to take over the entire state of Assam and make it ‘Miyaland’, which Sarma’s people won’t allow.

“The Leader of Opposition [Debabrata Saikia] and Jania MLA [Rafiqul Islam] has said a big thing today, knowingly or unknowingly,” Sarma was quoted by Scroll. “[They said] people will go from Lower Assam to Upper Assam. Why will [they go]?... This means you [Miya Muslims] want to take over the entire state?” he alleged. “We will also not allow...We will not allow Assam to make Miyaland.”

The chief minister claimed that the crime rate had not increased if population growth was taken into account, PTI reported.

Responding to the Opposition’s claims that he was being partisan, Sarma said in arrogance that he would take sides.

“What can you do about it?” he asked.

He warned that if Miya Muslims wanted to go to Upper Assam against the wishes of those living there, no security could be guaranteed.

Following the gangrape of the 14-year-old, the All Tai Ahom Students’ Union announced a movement in the Sivasagar district seeking to drive out Bengali-origin Muslims. The district is a part of Upper Assam.

There was a gruesome incident of a gangrape of a 14-year-old, in the Dhing area of Assam’s Nagaon district, a 24 year-old-person named Tafazul Islam, was among three accused. Following the rape incident, the All Tai Ahom Students’ Union announced a movement in the Sivasagar district demanding to remove all Bengali-origin Muslims from the Upper Assam district. The members of the student’s union visited houses to determine if Muslims with “doubtful citizenship” lived there. Even the student union openly said that they had given a seven-day ultimatum to Muslims of migrant origin to leave the district.