Assam opposition demands President to sack CM Himanta Biswa Sarma for 'communal' remarks

The opposition in Assam on Tuesday demanded that President Droupadi Murmu and Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya terminate Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his series of 'communal and unconstitutional' statements allegedly aimed at creating clashes between communities. 

The United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA), formed in the state with 18 parties in line with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), in an 'emergency meeting' also decided to file a police complaint on Wednesday against Sarma for making those comments. 

'The CM has recently compared himself with a mad dog, which has demeaned the position of chief minister. In the last few days, he has been continuously making communal and unconstitutional statements. We demand the President and Governor to terminate him immediately,' Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said at a joint press meet. 

He alleged that Sarma has been making those statements in order to create 'communal clashes' across the state. 'That is why, we have decided to file a police complaint against him tomorrow. 

The UOFA will lodge the complaint at Dispur Police Station,' Borah said. Besides, the UOFA will also write to the Supreme Court for a thorough investigation into the CM and his family's 'unaccounted' property by a judge of the apex court, he added. 

Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) President Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who is also the secretary of UOFA, said the state is not safe in the hands of Sarma, who 'does not want' any solution to the problems of different communities. 

'The CM's actions have made the future of young generations insecure. He is only trying to have a clash between Hindus and Muslims before the next assembly elections in 2026,' he added. 

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Gogoi said the law and order 'failed measurably' under Sarma's tenure as the CM himself said that 23 rapes took place in the last two months. Independent Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan said the list of all properties of Sarma and his family will be made public very soon. 

'With new additions, we will bring out the second edition of the Charge Sheet against the CM,' he said. 

The UOFA had released a document, named 'Charge Sheet', levelling 60 allegations against the ruling coalition before the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. 'The CM has completely failed in protecting women and preventing crimes against women. He has failed to give protection to life and property of the people of the state,' Bhuyan said. 

The UOFA leaders appealed to the people to maintain peace and restraint under the current circumstances. 

Speaking in the Assembly on four adjournment motions for discussion on the situation arising out of increasing crimes in the state, including crimes against women, Sarma said Congress and AIUDF are in competition for minority votes but he is not in the race. When the opposition charged him of being partisan, Sarma retorted, 'I will take sides. What can you do about it?... Why will people from Lower Assam go to Upper Assam? So that Miya Muslims can take over Assam? We won't let it happen.' He also stated that a debate is needed over the demographic change concerning Hindus and Muslims in the state as it is 'happening fast' in some parts like the Lower Assam districts, and it could lead to an 'unprecedented human disaster'. 

A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by three persons while she was returning home from tuition on her bicycle at Dhing in Nagaon district on August 22 evening. After the Dhing rape incident, several groups in Upper Assam, especially in Sivasagar district, issued an ultimatum to the 'Miya' people, asking them to leave within one week.

 'Miya' is originally a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam and the non-Bengali speaking people generally identify them as Bangladeshi immigrants. In recent years, activists from the community have started adopting this term as a gesture of defiance.