Assam CM rejects link to hate video as Owaisi seeks action; says jail will not change his stand

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday denied any knowledge of a controversial video shared by the BJP Assam IT wing while confirming that an FIR had been filed against him by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, asserting that he was prepared to face arrest if required but making it clear that he would not withdraw his position against what he described as Bangladeshi infiltration.

Responding to media queries in Dibrugarh, Sarma said he had no objection to legal proceedings being initiated against him, maintaining that he had neither created nor circulated the video in question, even as he reiterated that his political stand on infiltration would remain unchanged regardless of the consequences.

While distancing himself from the video, the Chief Minister underscored that his opposition was directed at alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators and not at any religious community.

Earlier in the day, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and Hyderabad Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi approached the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, seeking the registration of a case against Sarma over the circulation of a video that he alleged was designed to incite communal hatred and target Muslims.

The complaint followed the emergence of an AI-generated video that showed the Assam Chief Minister aiming a gun at visuals of skullcap-wearing Muslim men, accompanied by captions such as “Point blank shot” and “No Mercy,” imagery that sparked widespread outrage across political and civil society circles.

Although the video was subsequently taken down, reportedly after public backlash, it continues to circulate on various social media platforms, prompting demands for accountability and legal action.

Owaisi, in his complaint, argued that the content and language used in the video constituted a deliberate and malicious attempt to outrage the religious feelings of Muslims, promote hatred and ill-will between communities, and potentially incite communal violence, thereby attracting penal provisions related to hate speech and public mischief.

The AIMIM chief also cited the Supreme Court’s judgment in Shaheen Abdulla v. Union of India & Ors., which emphasised the constitutional obligation of the State and law enforcement agencies to protect fundamental rights, uphold constitutional morality, and preserve the secular and democratic character of the nation. Invoking the ruling, Owaisi urged the police to act without delay, contending that the involvement of a sitting Chief Minister could not be grounds for inaction.