Brahmins helped Mughals invade Assam, claims Kamal Medhi; lands in soup

 

GUWAHATI: 'Raijor Dal' leader Kamal Medhi has stoked the fires of controversy after claiming that Brahmins helped the Mughals invade Assam.

 

 

"We have all read the history about the Mughal invasion. They tried to invade 17 times. During the time of Aurengzeb, a Hindu man named Ram Singh led the Mughal forces. Lachit Borphukan, representing the Ahoms, had assigned Magh Hazarika -- a Muslim man -- as his deputy. His bodyguard was Laiman Khan, another Muslim. Many Muslims were a part of the Ahom force," Kamal Medhi said at a rally.

 

 

He further went on to say that some Brahmins from the Kamakhya hills had taken the side of the Mughals. "These Brahmins helped the Mughals put canons in the hills. These canons were eventually destroyed the Muslim Generals of the Ahom force," Medhi further told the audience.

 

 

Taking offense, Kabindra Sarma, the head priest of the Kamakhya Devalaya, has condemned the politician for his "reckless statement."

 

 

"We are mulling to file an FIR against Medhi as it has hurt the sentiments of the Brahmin community. It seems like he basically wishes to terrorize us. He spoke like a betrayer of his own kind," Sarma told Inside Northeast.

 

 

Following the backlash, Medhi said that his words were taken out of context by some media outlets. "I never tried to insult the Brahmins. It was never my intention to hurt sentiments."

 

 

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Medhi said that he was simply trying to explain that not all Muslims are "villainous", as stated by some leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

 

 

"Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma constantly insults the Muslims by terming them as Mughal. Muslim are not necessarily betrayers. Taking an anecdote from history, I said that some Brahmins spied for the Mughals during the invasion. That was taken out of context by some sections of the media," said Medhi.

 

 

 

Turning down heavily on Minister Biswa Sarma, Medhi said, "He (Biswa Sarma) is trying to mislead the people and therefore, the question of civilization has arisen. It is a blatant attempt to push their agenda."

 

 

Medhi, who is the Vice President of the Raijor Dal, has expressed that he wants to contest the polls against Himanta Biswa Sarma in the latter's Jalukbari Constituency.

 

 

Medhi joined Raijor Dal in December, 2019, at Mathgharia office. He also served as the General Secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) at one point of time.