"Rs 1 politics won’t enrich Assam": Pawan Khera slams Himanta Biswa Sarma over Miya remarks

Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera has launched a sharp attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of misleading the people of the state by diverting attention from serious economic and land-related concerns through what he termed “trivial and divisive rhetoric.”

In a post on social media platform X, Khera criticised Sarma’s reported remarks on paying reduced wages to individuals he referred to as “Miya,” arguing that such statements neither address Assam’s real problems nor improve the economic condition of its people. “Paying Rs 4 instead of Rs 5 to ‘Miyaan’ will not make the people of Assam rich,” Khera wrote, dismissing the debate as inconsequential in the face of far larger governance issues.

The Congress leader asserted that token gestures and inflammatory remarks cannot strengthen Assam’s economy, while alleging that the state has suffered grave losses due to the purported transfer of over 1.5 lakh bighas of land protected under the Sixth Schedule to corporate interests. He further claimed that such actions, coupled with what he described as an erosion of Assamese identity, have weakened both the economic and cultural foundations of the state.

Taking direct aim at the Chief Minister, Khera accused the BJP-led government of large-scale financial mismanagement. “Don’t keep people tangled in ₹1. Talk about the thousands of crores you have gobbled up from the people of Assam to fill your deep pockets,” he said, alleging misuse of public resources.

The remarks come amid controversy surrounding Sarma’s recent statements urging people to exert pressure on the Miya community—East Bengal origin Muslims in Assam—and suggesting they be paid less. The Chief Minister had also stated that his actions, including the ongoing revision of electoral rolls, were intended to “assert Assamese dominance,” comments that have triggered widespread political backlash.

Meanwhile, the Specialised Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam has drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who allege serious irregularities in the process. Claims have surfaced that the exercise is riddled with anomalies, with names of genuine citizens allegedly being deleted from voter lists, leading to harassment and uncertainty among residents.

The escalating war of words highlights deepening political polarisation in Assam, with the opposition accusing the state government of deflecting from pressing governance challenges by stoking social and identity-based tensions.