Assam CM Intensifies Tirade Against Foreigners, Particularly Bengali-Speaking Muslim Immigrants
Justifying the ongoing eviction drive by his government, Mr Sarma said during several eviction drives, officials found that people had come from far-off districts like Barpeta, Bongaigaon, South Salmara and Karimganj, and settled in places dominated by Assamese-speaking Hindus or indigenous communities
Guwahati: Ignoring the Trinamul Congress’ demand for an apology over his remark that “writing Bengali as the mother tongue in the Census documents will quantify the number of foreigners in the state”, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma intensified his tirade against foreigners, particularly Bengali-speaking Muslim immigrants, while claiming that there is a “planned attempt” to change the demographic balance in certain areas of the state.
Justifying the ongoing eviction drive by his government, Mr Sarma said during several eviction drives, officials found that people had come from far-off districts like Barpeta, Bongaigaon, South Salmara and Karimganj, and settled in places dominated by Assamese-speaking Hindus or indigenous communities.
“If someone is landless, they usually look for land within their own district. But why are these people travelling hundreds of kilometres and settling in areas dominated by our majority population?” the chief minister asked. He asserted: “Is this due to poverty or a larger political plan? That’s something we must study seriously.”
He warned that such migration patterns may not be random, but part of a deliberate bid to reduce the indigenous population to a minority in their own homeland.
The latest eviction took place in the Paikan Reserve Forest area in Goalpara district on July 12, where over 1,080 families were evicted and around 2,700 structures demolished. The state government claims 140 hectares of land had been encroached.
The Assam government has also carried out similar eviction drives in districts like Dhubri and Lakhimpur. In some areas like Garukhuti in Sipajhar, cleared land has been converted into agricultural projects involving local youth, and the government says it is helping create jobs and generate revenue.
While the BJP says the evictions are part of its commitment to protect public land and Assam’s identity, the Opposition parties including the Congress and AIUDF have attacked the government. They say that poor and landless people, many of them genuine Indian citizens, are being thrown out without any rehabilitation.
In an official statement, the BJP said: “People are being moved strategically from districts like South Salmara, Barpeta and Srirampur into areas where the indigenous Assamese population is strong. This is a political move meant to change the voting pattern and make Assamese people minorities in their own land.”
The Assam chief minister’s remark targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims was given a fresh spin on Saturday as the TMC in a series of social media posts said the Assam CM has made an “outrageous claim”. “Let’s remind him: our national anthem is in Bengali. Our national song is in Bengali. So, when Himanta sings Jana Gana Mana or Vande Mataram, does he automatically become an illegal Bangladeshi? By his own twisted logic, shouldn’t his citizenship now be questioned?” the party said. The Assam CM has, however, chosen to ignore the TMC leaders’ demand for an apology.