‘Not hatred, SC’s warning’: Himanta Biswa Sarma defends ‘Miyan’ remarks, flags demographic threat to Assam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on January 29 defended his recent remarks on the term “Miyan”, stating that his position is rooted in observations made by the Supreme Court of India and not in political rhetoric or communal prejudice.

In a post on X, Sarma said those criticising him for his remarks should read what the apex court itself has said about Assam in the context of illegal migration. Clarifying that the term is used in Assam with reference to Bangladeshi Muslim illegal migration, the Chief Minister asserted that his comments merely echoed judicial concerns expressed years ago.

Quoting the Supreme Court, Sarma referred to its warning about what it described as a “silent and invidious demographic invasion of Assam”, which, the court said, could lead to the loss of the geostrategically vital districts of lower Assam. The court had observed that continuous influx of illegal migrants could turn these districts into Muslim-majority regions and potentially trigger demands for their merger with Bangladesh, thereby severing the Northeast from the rest of India and jeopardising the nation’s territorial integrity and natural resources.

The Chief Minister argued that when the highest constitutional court uses phrases such as “demographic invasion” and cautions against threats to national unity, acknowledging those concerns cannot be labelled as hatred, communalism, or an attack on any community. He maintained that the issue is a long-standing and grave problem that Assam has faced for decades.

Sarma further stressed that the state government’s efforts are not directed against any religion or Indian citizen. Instead, he said, the objective is to safeguard Assam’s identity, security, and future, in line with the Supreme Court’s caution to the nation. Ignoring such warnings, he added, would amount to a greater injustice to both Assam and the country.