GUWAHATI, Jan 29: Amidst Opposition criticism, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday defended his ‘Miya’ remarks, saying they were based on observations made by the Supreme Court rather than political or communal considerations.
“Those who are attacking me for my remarks on “Miyan”—a word used in Assam in the context of Bangladeshi Muslim illegal migration — should pause and read what the Supreme Court of India itself has said about Assam. This is not my language, not my imagination, and not political exaggeration,” Sarma took to social media to clarify his statements.
The chief minister further quoted the apex Court, stating: “The silent and invidious demographic invasion of Assam may result in the loss of the geostrategically vital districts of lower Assam… The influx of illegal migrants is turning these districts into a Muslim majority region… It will then only be a matter of time when a demand for their merger with Bangladesh may be made… Loss of lower Assam will sever the entire land mass of the North East from the rest of India and the rich natural resources of that region will be lost to the Nation.”
“When the highest constitutional court of the country uses words like “demographic invasion” and warns of the possible loss of territory and national unity, acknowledging that reality is neither hatred nor communalism, nor is it an attack on any community. It is a recognition of a grave and long-standing problem that Assam has lived with for decades,” the chief minister stated.
“Our effort is not against any religion or any Indian citizen. Our effort is to protect Assam’s identity, security and future, exactly as the Supreme Court cautioned the nation to do. Ignoring that warning would be the real injustice—to Assam and to India,” Sarma said.
He further maintained that the issue was being unnecessarily politicised. “Our focus has been on safeguarding Assam’s demographic balance and addressing concerns related to illegal migration,” the chief minister said, while speaking to the media.
The chief minister’s clarification came in the wake of sharp reactions from Opposition leaders, who have alleged that the remarks were divisive and targeted at a particular community.
