HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Aug 29: Badruddin Ajmal, leader of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), met chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday to discuss concerns about the safety and security of Muslims in the state.
Ajmal, reflecting the views of other AIUDF members, accused Sarma of engaging in divisive politics. He claimed that under BJP rule, the minority community in Assam is facing increased threats and that Sarma has employed polarising tactics.
“The chief minister has been attempting to create religious divisions among Assamese citizens. This is not what was expected of him. We have warned him against making provocative remarks that could incite violence in the state,” Ajmal added.
AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam added that Sarma has been attempting to divide Assam along various lines, including caste, community, and geography, in addition to religion.
“The recent statements made by CM Sarma in the assembly were disgraceful. He has been implicated in inciting hostility between the upper and lower regions of Assam and between Muslim and Hindu communities. Such remarks from the chief minister are unacceptable. Our leaders have already met with the governor to inform him of the situation,” Islam stated.
He also mentioned that Badruddin Ajmal had urged Sarma to refrain from further dividing the state along religious lines and other categories.
Earlier, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had remarked that Assam is threatened by “Miya Muslims”—a term used pejoratively for Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state—and vowed to prevent them from taking over Assam.
Sarma further alleged that the Congress party is supporting Bengali-origin Muslims to gain control of the state.
“MLA Rafikul Islam and opposition leader Debabrata Saikia have suggested that people from lower Assam will move to upper Assam. I ask why this should happen. The opposition party wants Assam to be captured by Miya Muslims. They may try, but I will not allow this to happen in Assam. Miya Muslims will never take charge of the state,” Sarma asserted.