Let a thousand Gaurav Gogois or Rahul Gandhis come, they can’t touch me: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on January 31 launched a blistering political counter-attack on the Congress, accusing the party of being “obsessed” with the term “Miya” while ignoring the interests and identity of 'Asomiya' (Assamese) people. 

 

Sarma said the Congress had “gone mad after Miya” and was attempting to turn the entire discourse around Assam’s future into what he described as a defence of illegal migration.

 

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister alleged that the Congress selectively reacts to issues depending on the community involved.

 

“If anyone speaks against Miya, they are immediately boiled out. But if someone speaks against Asomiya, the Congress will not comment,” Sarma said. He asserted that in the political context of Assam, “Miya” refers to illegal Bangladeshi nationals encroaching on land in the state, and reiterated that the BJP would “go all guns” to push such illegal migrants out.

 

Escalating his rhetoric, Sarma said neither Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi nor party leader Rahul Gandhi could intimidate him. 

“Let one thousand Gaurav Gogoi or Rahul Gandhi come, they cannot do anything to me,” he said, adding that the BJP now stands “between life and death of the indigenous people of the state.” The Chief Minister framed the issue as a civilisational and existential battle, positioning his government as the defender of Assam’s indigenous communities.

 

The Assam Chief Minister also reacted sharply to activist Harsh Mander filing a police complaint against him over alleged hate speech. Dismissing the activist, Sarma said, “Who is Harsh Mander? I have seen many Harsh Manders in my life.” He accused Mander of having “destroyed the NRC” during his time in Assam and went on to make a controversial remark, saying that had he been present then, he would have “taught Harsh Mander a lesson.”

 

Sarma further warned of legal retaliation, stating that while a case has been filed against him, he possesses sufficient material to file multiple cases against Mander. “Now he has filed a case against me. Just see how many cases will be filed against Harsh Mander — not less than 100,” the Chief Minister said.

 

The remarks have intensified Assam’s already polarised political climate, with sharp divisions emerging over migration, identity, the NRC, and freedom of speech. While the Congress and civil rights groups have accused the Chief Minister of communal rhetoric and intimidation, the BJP has continued to project Sarma’s stance as necessary for safeguarding Assam’s indigenous population ahead of the high-stakes 2026 Assembly elections.