When Himanta Biswa Sarma is on backfoot, he tries to divide society: Gaurav Gogoi

Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday alleged that the Assam Chief Minister indulges in dividing the society whenever he is "on the backfoot".

Gogoi's accusations came hours after Sarma said he would take sides and would not let 'Miya' Muslims "take over" Assam.

Responding to the recent statements of Sarma following the gang rape incident at Dhing in Nagaon district, Gogoi in a post on X said, "Whenever the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is on the back foot, he tries to divide the society."
    
The Congress leader exuded confidence that the people of Assam are smarter than Sarma and they will not fall for his "divisive rhetoric".

"They know he has failed as a chief minister. Assamese people will remain united and vote out his arrogant government in 2026," Gogoi asserted.

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Speaking in the Assembly on four adjournment motions for discussion on the situation arising out of increasing crimes in the state, including those 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."

 '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.

A 14-year-old girl was raped allegedly 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 ultimatum to the 'Miya' people, asking them to leave within one week.

Meanwhile, a section of fish traders from Nagaon district on Tuesday announced that they would not send their products to Upper Assam for an indefinite period in response to a movement against the 'Miya' community there.