– Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi, Sep 1: The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind(M) has called upon the Chief Justice of India to take suo moto action against Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam, for his continued inflammatory remarks against the state’s Muslim community. The organization expressed concern that Sarma’s rhetoric not only undermines his role as a chief minister but also exacerbates communal tensions in Assam. The recent assault on 15 Bengali-speaking Muslim laborers in Dolbagan, Upper Assam, on August 24, is seen as a direct consequence of this escalating atmosphere.
Maulana Mahmood Asa’d Madani, JUH(M) president and former MP, has addressed letters to the Union Home Minister, Chief Justice of India, and BJP President, urging immediate intervention. He argued that Sarma’s divisive statements are a blatant violation of constitutional principles and must be curtailed without delay. Maulana Madani highlighted several of Sarma’s unconstitutional remarks, stressing that they undermine the constitutional duty of a chief minister to remain impartial and just to all citizens.
He pointed out that Sarma, in a recent assembly session, boldly declared, “I will take a side; this is my ideology,” further stating, “I will not allow Miya Muslims to take over Assam.” These statements, Madani warned, are likely to exacerbate existing social tensions and deepen the ethnic and religious divides in Assam.
Moreover, Madani criticized Sarma for derogatorily referring to a linguistic and religious minority as “Miya,” thereby attempting to reduce them to second-class citizens. He also condemned Sarma’s unfounded claims that Assam is on the path to becoming a Muslim-majority state by 2041 and his characterization of any criticism as “jihad,” describing these remarks as fostering intolerance and communal hatred.
In a letter to PM Narendra Modi, Madani reminded him of his pledge at the start of his third term, wherein Modi asserted, “The Constitution is our guiding principle.” He urged the Prime Minister to ensure that Chief Minister Sarma adheres to his constitutional responsibilities and the oath he took to serve all people of the state, regardless of their background.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee also criticized Sarma, accusing him of playing communal politics within and outside the assembly. State Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah accused Sarma of inciting communal animosity across the state, diminishing political decency, and coloring criminal incidents with a communal brush. Borah’s criticism intensified as he referred to Sarma as a “mad dog,” a term Sarma reportedly used to describe himself in a recent party meeting.
Several FIRs have been filed against Sarma in Assam, with one explicitly warning that Sarma’s “belligerent nature” could incite a riot if not restrained immediately. The FIR emphasizes the urgent need for Sarma’s arrest to prevent further communal unrest in the state.
