80/100 people who abuse me are from ‘particular community’: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati, January 2, 2019:

Assam’s Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has continued making communal remarks against a certain community, unfazed by the FIRs piling up against him in police stations across the state. The Minister has also continued making tall claims that a conspiracy is afoot to harm Hindu interests in the state and insinuated that a particular community is behind these protests.

As the protests over the contentious Citizenship Bill continue to intensify, the Minister has played the ‘blame-game’ and refused to admit that the protesting voices belong to indigenous people of Assam, instead choosing to paint a red target on the back of a particular community, who he has suggested have no right to participate in the democratic protests against the Bill.

He also alleged that middle and lower Assam are being flooded with Muslims and the Bill is necessary to balance the politics in the state. He also slammed the Congress party in his speech. He also alleged that the protestors of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill are ‘new Congressis’ with a hidden agenda. He also blasted the Muslim community for taking part in the protests. “If I lose my language, my land, it is my business. In a naked protest in Delhi, two Muslims had protested. What business is it of yours?”

The Minister made these remarks at a BJP convention held in Assam’s Tezpur town. “Look at the people who abuse me on Facebook. Out of the hundred who abuse me, look who eighty of them are”, he said, alleging that the people against him (and the ‘Citizenship Bill’) largely belong to the Muslim community.

Biswa Sarma also added that he is no longer “secular” and said he does not need a “certificate” of secularism. Sarma has also claimed (controversially) in the past that India has been a ‘Hindu rastra’ for 5,000 years, claiming the Constitution does not matter due to its “modern” nature.

He also condemned the black flag protestors and asked why the media is not talking about the 5,000 strong ‘bike rally’ which escorted him to the venue. It is to be mentioned that Biswa Sarma was shown black flags today at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district.