Guwahati, Nov. 13: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday made a “bold prediction”, stating that the ‘Miya’ (illegal settlers from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community) community would take over the state the day the BJP ceases to be in power.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a programme, Sarma said the indigenous Assamese people, who are criticising or cursing the BJP government today, would regret the same if the ‘Miya’ community takes over Dispur and the rest of the state.
“But the BJP is guarding such a threat by serving as an embankment between the indigenous and the Miya people in the state. Now, 40 percent of the population in the state are “aggressive,” and are posting inflammatory content on social media even when the BJP is in power. You can imagine to what extent they can go if the Congress returns to power,” the chief minister predicted.
“So, along with the demographic change (increase in Muslim population) in the state, such aggressive and uncivilised behaviour does not augur well. Therefore, I believe, the indigenous people must remain united,” he said.
In a scathing dig at the Opposition, the chief minister alleged that the three Gogois – Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi; Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi “are the biggest supporters of the Miya community.”
“The three Gogois (in the Opposition camp) are not supporters of the people of the Ahom community but supporters of the Miya community. So, their political agenda remains concealed unlike us, as everything we do is out in the open and transparent. Hence, we can rule out a contest with them in the elections,” he added.
Sarma also belittled Wednesday evening’s Congress’ meeting with the Opposition leaders as a deliberation that “primarily focussed not on politics and elections but on the wedding plans of a particular representative of a party.”
