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.
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Middle East conflict: 100 flights cancelled at Delhi, Mumbai airports
New Delhi (PTI): At least 100 international flights were cancelled at the Delhi and Mumbai airports on Saturday as the Middle East crisis continued to impact flight operations.
As many as 35 departures and 36 arrivals were cancelled at the Mumbai airport while 22 departures and 17 arrivals were cancelled at the Delhi airport, according to officials.
Delhi airport operator DIAL, in a post on X, said due to the current situation in the Middle East, some west-bound international flights may experience delays or schedule changes.
The conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran that started on February 28 has significantly impacted flight operations as some of the airspaces in the Middle East are closed. Many airlines are only operating a limited number of services.
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