'Accept National Values, Stop Jihad Politics’: Himanta Biswa Sarma sets conditions while rejecting ‘Miya’ Muslim hate claim

Himanta Biswa Sarma on March 5 said the Bharatiya Janata Party does not view “Miya” Muslims as enemies but asserted that certain practices such as “Love Jihad, land encroachment and child marriage” must stop, while also outlining the party’s electoral strategy for minority-dominated constituencies in Assam.

Addressing a press conference at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan in Guwahati, Sarma said the BJP would contest in a few minority-dominated Assembly seats but candidate selection would be based on winnability and demographic considerations rather than religion.

“BJP will contest in two to four minority-dominated seats. Candidates will be selected as per the particular Assembly census and not based on religion but on the basis of who can win,” Sarma said. 

He added that while the party’s ally, the Asom Gana Parishad, has a strong presence in several such constituencies, the BJP also maintains organisational strength in seats like Dhubri and Gauripur.

Sarma pointed out that even if the BJP does not win Assembly elections in these constituencies, it continues to perform strongly in municipal polls. “In Dhubri and Gauripur, even if we lose Assembly elections, we win municipal elections. So we must keep our votes there as we also aim to win the upcoming municipal and panchayat elections,” he said.

Responding to a question on whether a “Miya” Muslim candidate could receive a BJP ticket, Sarma said the party has no objection if the individual is patriotic and abides by certain conditions.

“Anyone who loves the nation and says ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ or ‘Vande Mataram’, we have nothing to worry about. ‘Miya’ people are not our enemy. Our problem is with Love Jihad, land encroachment, child marriage and fertiliser jihad,” he said, adding that if such issues are addressed, the BJP would not consider them adversaries.

Sarma reiterated that the party’s opposition is not directed at any community but at what he termed “specific practices” that the government has been acting against in recent years.