Himanta Biswa Sarma takes u-turn ahead of Assam polls, says miya Muslims not BJP’s enemies
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not consider Miya Muslims in the state as its enemies, but expressed concerns over what he described as certain practices among sections of the community.
The remarks come ahead of the 2026 Assam Legislative Assembly election expected to be held in April.
“The Miya people are not our enemies,” Sarma said, adding that the party’s objections were centred on issues he described as “love jihad, land encroachment, child marriage and fertiliser jihad”. The last allegation refers to claims that some farmers use harmful chemicals in crops meant for mass consumption.
Sarma also said that the BJP would not view the community as adversarial if such concerns were addressed.
Responding to a question on Thursday, about whether a Miya Muslim could be given a BJP ticket in the upcoming elections, he said the party was open to fielding any candidate. A candidate with a sense of patriotism and the one who supports slogans like “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram” will be welcomed.
He also outlined the BJP’s approach in Muslim-dominated constituencies, saying the party would contest a limited number of such seats and that candidate selection would be based on winnability rather than religion. “Selection of candidates will not be based on religion,” he said.
In Assam, the term “Miya” has historically been used as a derogatory expression for Muslims of Bengali origin, who are often accused of being undocumented migrants from Bangladesh. The word originates from a common honorific used among South Asian Muslims but has now been long used as a slur in the state.
In recent years, members of the community have begun reclaiming the term as a self-identifier for Muslims whose families migrated to Assam from Bengal during the colonial period.
Sarma’s comments on Thursday marked a shift in tone from several statements he made in recent weeks that drew criticism. He had earlier said it was his responsibility to “make them suffer” and claimed he had directed BJP workers to submit applications seeking the removal of Miya Muslim names from electoral rolls.
Last week, the Gauhati High Court issued notices to the Centre and the Assam government while hearing petitions seeking action against Sarma for alleged hate speech against the community.
Earlier in February, Supreme Court declined to entertain separate petitions seeking the registration of an FIR against the chief minister on similar allegations.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
My party will complete 5-year term, says CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that the Congress government would complete its five-year term, while sidestepping questions on whether he personally would remain in office for the full duration.
Addressing reporters here, he maintained that decisions on the leadership would rest with the party high command and refrained from giving a direct answer on his own tenure.
“Our party will complete five years,” Siddaramaiah said, when asked if he would complete a full term as Chief Minister.
On the issue of leadership, he reiterated that the final call would be taken by the party leadership, saying, “The high command will decide. There’s no point asking the same thing again.”
Indicating his readiness to travel to the national capital if required, he said, “If I am called to Delhi, I will go,” adding that he would seek an appointment with Rahul Gandhi if needed.
The talks on leadership change have intensified in the power corridor of the state where claims were made that Siddaramaiah would make way for his Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
The Chief Minister also underlined that recent by-election victories in Bagalkote and Davanagere South assembly segment reflected public support for the government, stating that this clearly shows that people have appreciated the Congress government and its programmes.
The CM also dismissed the opposition’s claims, alleging they lacked strategy, and said local body elections would be conducted as per rules.
