“Dhubri like mini Bangladesh”: BJP MP sparks controversy in Rajya Sabha

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi stirred a political controversy in the Rajya Sabha by referring to Assam’s Dhubri district as a "mini Bangladesh." 

His statement came while addressing concerns over voter duplication and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Trivedi remarked, “The opposition always speaks about voter duplication, but before that, they must clarify the issue of citizen duplication. Why don’t they agree to NRC? The issue will be resolved. When they claim doubts over voters, then why not NRC?”

He further linked the issue to the recent Rajya Sabha elections, where Congress leader Rakibul Hussain secured a massive victory from Dhubri, winning by over 10 lakh votes. 

He alleged that the reluctance to implement NRC was due to the electoral influence of illegal immigrants in the region. 

“Our colleagues from Assam call Dhubri a mini-Bangladesh, and that is why NRC is not being conducted. But they will still raise concerns over voter duplication,” Trivedi added.

Trivedi’s comments triggered sharp reactions from various quarters, including legal and political intellectuals. 

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay Hegde criticized the statement, calling it “dangerous for India’s security.” 

On his X handle, he wrote, “Does he even know how Gopinath Bordoloi persuaded the people of Dhubri to stay with India and not go with Pakistan? The result was the wiggle room we have in our chicken neck with the Northeast. Such statements are positively dangerous for India’s security.”

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Reacting to the controversy, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma responded on X, defending the region’s historical identity. He clarified that Dhubri was part of the erstwhile Goalpara district, which has long been home to indigenous communities.

“The entire district of Goalpara has been predominantly inhabited by indigenous communities such as the Bodo and Koch-Rajbongshi tribes. These groups have deep-rooted cultural and historical ties to Bharat. There is no evidence to suggest that these indigenous populations ever expressed a desire to join Pakistan or sought a referendum for such a purpose. Concerns about demographic changes due to immigration are real and genuine,” Sarma wrote.

The statement has reignited the long-standing debate over the NRC in Assam. The BJP has been advocating for the completion of the NRC process to weed out illegal immigrants, while the opposition has raised concerns about its implementation, citing issues of exclusion and procedural flaws.

The NRC process in Assam, which aimed to identify illegal immigrants, was last updated in 2019, excluding nearly 19 lakh people. However, the BJP-led government has repeatedly called for a fresh review, claiming that the existing NRC list is flawed and many illegal immigrants have been included.