‘Leader with Bangladesh roots has no right to insult Sivasagar’: Assam CM slams Congress over “Dhubri” remark

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on January 12 launched a sharp attack on the Congress, strongly condemning what he described as an “insulting and provocative” remark by a Congress leader on Sivasagar. 

Reacting to the statement that Sivasagar would be turned into “Dhubri,” the Chief Minister questioned the intent and authority behind such comments.

“The question is, who is Rezual to talk about turning Sivasagar into Dhubri in the name of a so-called greater Assam?” Sarma said, adding that a Congress leader whose ancestors had migrated from Bangladesh had no moral right to make such remarks. He termed the statement an act of arrogance and said it reflected a deliberate attempt to demean Sivasagar’s historical and cultural identity.

The Chief Minister asserted that Sivasagar is not the ancestral property of any Congress leader and warned against making irresponsible statements that could hurt public sentiment. He said Sivasagar holds a unique place in Assam’s history and heritage and should not be dragged into divisive political narratives.

Sarma also questioned senior Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Debabrata Saikia, asking why they “continue to indulge in appeasement politics,” which he described as mysterious and deeply troubling. He alleged that such politics had repeatedly harmed Assam’s social fabric.

Strongly criticising the Congress leader’s attempt to pitch Sivasagar against Dhubri, the Chief Minister said such comparisons were unacceptable and amounted to an open provocation. He added that the government would not tolerate any effort to create regional or communal divisions in the state for political gain.