HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Sept 2: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani, warning him against displaying “arrogance” in the state and asserting that he has the authority to send him to jail if necessary.
Reacting to Madani’s comments at a press conference earlier in the day, Sarma questioned his relevance beyond the Congress ecosystem.
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“Is Madani a God? His pride lasts only as long as Congress exists; without Congress, he is valueless,” the Chief Minister told reporters.
Taking a tough stand, Sarma warned, “If he acts too smart, I will send him to jail. He should remember that I am the Chief Minister, not him. I do not fear him or care about him. He visited the eviction sites and saw for himself what happens when people try to grab land illegally. Now he will think twice before doing this again. I hope this sends a clear message: the BJP fears no one. If unknown individuals attempt to seize VGR or PGR lands, eviction will definitely follow.”
The remarks came hours after Madani, in an indirect swipe at Sarma, alleged that the Chief Minister’s politics targeted Muslims and hinted at attempts to deport them.
“See, I’ve been in his state since yesterday. If he wants to deport me to Bangladesh, he can. He only wants to send me or any other Muslim from here to Bangladesh. My father and grandfather were jailed during India’s freedom struggle, yet he wants to punish their descendants,” Madani said.
He further added, “Those elements in our society who spread hatred should be the ones sent to Pakistan. Why should they live in this beautiful country with such a rich and civilised history?”
The exchange has heightened political temperatures in Assam, where land evictions and questions of migration remain highly sensitive issues.
While the BJP government has maintained that it will not compromise on “illegal encroachment of government land”, minority groups have accused the state of targeting specific communities under the guise of eviction drives.
