Defeating BJP has become a ‘Jihad’ for Miya community: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on January 24 launched a sharp attack on Congress and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, claiming that if either Akhil Gogoi or the Congress comes to power, Assam would turn into a “Miya state” and the interests of indigenous Assamese people would be sidelined.

Addressing the media, Sarma alleged that Akhil Gogoi had recently made statements while engaging with the “Miya” community that, according to him, were inappropriate and politically dangerous. The Chief Minister said Gogoi had claimed that if Congress returned to power, he would become the Home Minister and would ensure that no eviction drives were carried out against people from the Miya community, while offering them protection.

“The way Akhil Gogoi is speaking, one can assume that if he or the Congress comes to power, Assam will turn into a ‘Miya state’, and there will be no work or protection for the Assamese people,” Sarma said.

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The Chief Minister also targeted the Congress party over its nomination process ahead of the Assembly elections. Referring to the last day of Congress nominations, Sarma alleged that the party headquarters at Rajiv Bhawan was “flooded” with people from minority-dominated areas of the state. He claimed that out of nearly 700 aspirants who sought Congress tickets, around 600 belonged to the Miya community.

Sarma further alleged that members of the Miya community had contributed Rs 50,000 each to the Congress, either to seek party tickets or to fund efforts aimed at defeating the BJP in the upcoming Assembly polls.

Taking a jibe at the Congress, the Chief Minister said that even a Congress worker from the Hindu community had remarked that visiting Rajiv Bhawan now felt like “going to a mosque,” reflecting what he described as the party’s changing character.

“For the Miya community, defeating the BJP has been turned into a kind of jihad,” Sarma said, reiterating his allegation that Congress is pursuing appeasement politics ahead of the elections.

The statements come amid heightened political rhetoric in Assam as parties intensify campaigning in the run-up to the Assembly elections.