‘Will file 100 cases’: Himanta Sarma on anti-Muslim hate speech plaint

Khumtai/Assam: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said he would file "at least 100 cases" against writer and social activist Harsh Mander after the latter filed a police complaint against him over alleged hate speech targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims, PTI reported.

He accused Mander of "destroying" the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in the state.

"Who is Harsh Mander? I have seen many like him," Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme at Khumtai in Golaghat district.

Mander had reportedly filed a complaint at Hauz Khas police station in Delhi against Sarma over the latter's public statements that purportedly "promote hatred, harassment and discrimination against Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam".

"He has filed one case against me. Just see, I will file at least 100 cases against him now as I have the necessary materials for it," Sarma said.

Holding Mander responsible for "destroying" the NRC in the state, the chief minister added, "If I was there (in authority) then, I would have taught him a lesson."

Sarma had alleged earlier that Mander and others visited the state when the NRC was being updated and spoiled the entire process.

"During the NRC updating process, they created false kin of people to enter names of ineligible applicants and individuals like social activist Mander were the brains behind it," he alleged.

The final NRC was released on August 31, 2019, with a total of 3,11,21,004 names included out of 3,30,27,661 applicants, though it is yet to be notified.