No controversy over SR; Hindus, Assamese Muslims didn’t get notices: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on January 24 said there was no controversy surrounding the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in the state and claimed that neither Hindus nor Assamese Muslims have received notices during the exercise.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a government programme in Nalbari district, Sarma alleged that notices have been served only to ‘Miyas’, a term commonly used for Bengali-speaking Muslims, during the voter revision drive. He said this was being done to “keep them under pressure”.
“There is no controversy over SR. Which Hindu has got notice? Which Assamese Muslim has got notice? Notices have been served to Miyas and such people, else they will walk over our heads,” the chief minister said.
The term ‘Miya’ is considered pejorative by many and is often used to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, a section of whom are identified by some groups as Bangladeshi immigrants. In recent years, activists from the community have reclaimed the term as an assertion of identity.
Opposition parties have alleged that the SR exercise, being carried out ahead of the Assembly elections, is intended to harass genuine citizens, particularly religious minorities. They have claimed that Form 7 is being misused by “BJP agents” to target bona fide voters.
Under the provisions, Form 7 can be used by voters to seek deletion of their own names from the electoral roll for reasons such as permanent relocation, duplicate enrolment, or non-citizenship. Voters can also seek deletion of others’ names on grounds including death, being underage, permanent shifting, duplicate enrolment, or non-citizenship. Authorities conduct hearings before any deletion is made.
On January 23, a Congress functionary filed a police complaint against local BJP leaders and government officials in the Boko-Chhaygaon Assembly constituency, alleging unauthorised attempts to delete and include voters’ names during the revision process.
“There is nothing to hide. We are giving them trouble,” Sarma said, reiterating his earlier remarks that ‘Miyas’ would face problems under his government. He added that such actions were meant to signal resistance from sections of Assamese society.
“We will do some ‘utpaat’ (mischief), but within the ambit of law. We are with the poor and downtrodden, but not those who want to destroy our ‘jati’ (community),” the chief minister said.
Sarma also reiterated his earlier claim that Bengali-speaking Muslims could constitute around 40 per cent of Assam’s population in the next Census.