Ahead of the Assembly polls in Jharkhand, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has ignited a significant controversy with remarks perceived as targeting Muslim communities. Leaders from the opposition’s INDIA bloc have filed a formal complaint with the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, demanding action against Sarma for his incendiary statements made during a rally in Sarath, Jharkhand.
In their letter to the electoral commission, the INDIA bloc accused Sarma of employing “extremely divisive and hateful language” aimed at Muslim minorities.
“His use of extremely divisive and hateful words in the speech targeting the Muslim minorities by saying words like ‘Woh log ek hi jageh par vote daalte hain lekin humaara Hindu aadha vote idhar daalega aadha udhar (They will vote for the same person, but Hindus will not vote together)’ and ‘ye sarkar ghuspaithiya ko bulaata hai kyuki vishesh samudaay unko vote deta hai (This government calls infiltrators because a particular community votes for it)’ are clear examples of the venomous language being used by him to create a civil war-like situation and incite violence in the ensuing assembly elections,” the letter said.
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The opposition argues that such rhetoric is inciting violence and threatening to create a civil war-like atmosphere ahead of the elections. “This hate speech given by Mr Sarma is an example of the divisive politics being promoted by him and his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party,” the letter said.
The letter further accused Sarma of using divisive politics to polarise the electorate, asserting that he has unfairly painted all members of a particular religious minority as infiltrators. This portrayal, they contend, exacerbates existing social divisions and threatens to destabilise Jharkhand’s communal harmony for political gain. “This hate speech is a clear attempt to exploit societal tensions and break the social fabric of Jharkhand,” the INDIA bloc stated.
The opposition leaders expressed concern that Sarma’s rhetoric could lead to increased extremist ideologies and hate crimes, warning of the potential dangers posed by such a “toxic environment.”
Responding to the allegations, Sarma dismissed the claims, asserting that speaking about the rights of Hindus does not equate to targeting Muslims. “Why complain against me? What am I saying? Where is it written that it is wrong to speak against infiltrators?” he stated. Sarma emphasised that he does not mention Muslims directly, framing his comments as a defense of Hindu interests within a predominantly Hindu civilisation.
Additionally, Sarma sparked further controversy with remarks regarding the renaming of the Hussainabad subdivision in Palamu district, suggesting it could be named after Hindu deities Ram or Krishna if the BJP secures power. “Is it a crime to talk about changing the name of a place? Then the Jharkhand movement was illegal too.”
With elections scheduled for November 13 and 20, the contest intensifies between the ruling coalition of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress, and Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the opposition alliance including the BJP, All Jharkhand Students’ Union, and others.
