Ahom, Kachari, Mishing, Bodo Termed as "Aggressors" by Minority Leaders, Claims Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati, February 12, 2020:

Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday slammed All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Aminul Islam for distorting history while reacting to his statement wherein he had claimed that the Ahom community are from Myanmar, whereas Miya Muslims are indigenous to Assam.

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The Minister, addressing the press here today, said that a book by author Mahim Majumdar was the first to claim that Mongoloids are from South east Asia and were "aggressors". "Although the book was not based on facts, it was quickly picked up by minority politicians and often, they will say it in their rallies. Aminul Islam has said this twice on television. The lack of outrage over this has been seen as acceptance by the people who profess it", Biswa Sarma said. The Minister further added that the lack of opposition to this narrative has led to the acceptance of this line of thought by a vast number of Muslims.

"These people are now starting to question the legitimacy of the (Ahom) tribe of Sargadeo, Sukapha, and Lachit", Biswa Sarma said, and blamed the silence of the intellectual class for the acceptance of this narrative among the masses.

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It may be mentioned here that Aminul Islam, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA representing Dhing constituency in Assam’s Nagaon has gained notoriety for claiming that Ahoms are not indigenous to Assam, while saying at the same time that Miya-Muslims migrated from neighboring Bangladesh are the actual sons of the soil.

A video of his speech has gone viral on social media and has drawn condemnation from netizens as the Tai-Ahom tribe founded a dynasty that ruled over Assam for several centuries.

“The Ahoms came from Yunnan province in Myanmar…it was never a part of India, and it is still not a part of India. If they are designated as indigenous, why can the people who came from undivided India not claim indigenous status?”, queried Islam, stating that the forefathers of the Bengali-speaking Miya community belonged to East Bengal, once a part of India.

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