Assam: 90% Congress MLAs with Bangladeshi Origin, Claims Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati, January 9, 2019:

Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday stoked the fires of controversy after he announced in front of a massive gathering that 90% of the MLA of the Indian National Congress in Assam are from a Bangladeshi background.

Making this startling accusation during a BJP 'peace' rally at Dhemaji in Upper Assam, Biswa Sarma said that in the Assam Legislative Assembly, 90 percent of the Congress MLAs are citizens. However, their ancestors are from Bangladesh.

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In the same rally, he questioned why the AASU and other organizations, who have been vociferous in their opposition to the BJP's amendment of the Citizenship Act, were silent when 50 lakh Bangladeshi foreigners were included in the NRC.

Biswa Sarma had also made a similar statement in another rally in Biswanath district, where he also claimed that AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal will become the Chief Minister of Assam within the next ten years. At the same rally, Biswa Sarma announced that whereas not too long ago, Assam had only one Ajmal, now it has been swamped with lakhs of 'Ajmals'.

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These allegations have evoked a strong response from Assam Congress leaders, including the leader of opposition, Debabrata Saikia. "Assam BJP leader and NEDA convenor has accused that 90% of Congress are from Bangladesh," Saikia said, adding, "I dare him to prove this statement. We are all aware that Bangladesh was birthed on 25 March, 1971. Our legislators are emigrated when the British ruled over India. Thus, to accuse them of being Bangladeshis is . He must apologize, otherwise, we will be forced to take action".

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