During a recent press conference, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asked a journalist for his name. Coincidentally, the journalist hailed from the Muslim community which prompted the leftist-Islamist gang as well as the opposition parties to exploit the development. They targeted CM Sarma and dubbed him ‘communal’. Now, days after the incident, CM Sarma has hit back at the usual suspects stating that he asked the journalist’s name as it was necessary for security reasons.
Responding to the opposition and its ecosystem’s ‘communal’ charge for asking the name of the journalist, CM Sarma explained, “There is a rule in press conferences that journalists ask questions after introducing themselves by name. This is also mandatory for security.”
However, Sarma lamented that in Assam if someone asks the name of Shahjahan or Shahjalal, then intellectuals play the “victim card”. He has also shared the video of his remarks over the journalist’s name row on his official X handle.
प्रेस वार्ता में यह नियम होता है कि पत्रकार अपने नाम का परिचय देने के बाद सवाल पूछते हैं। यह सुरक्षा के लिए भी अनिवार्य है।
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 25, 2024
लेकिन असम में अगर शाहजहाँ या शहज़लाल से नाम पूछें, तो बुद्धिजीवी “victim card” का उपयोग करते हैं। pic.twitter.com/UIlqzlengq
He added that since his government has been taking stern action against Land Jihad in Assam, they are being targeted by the ‘Toolkit’ gang.
He explained the Toolkit of Land Jihad stating that once one or two people enter a region, they start eating a ‘certain kind of animal’, cows. Then the nearby people start to leave. There is a complete pattern. These are the things that are happening in Barpeta, Mangaldol.
Along with the video explaining ‘Land Jihad Toolkit’, CM Sarma wrote, “I am fighting against the changing demography in Assam and because of this fight, there is a huge threat to me and my family. People in the ecosystem can abuse me as much as they want, but I will not back down.”
लैंड जिहाद का Toolkit जानिए।
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 25, 2024
असम में बदलते जनसांख्यिकी के खिलाफ जो मैं लड़ाई लड़ रहा हूँ, उससे मुझे और मेरे परिवार को बहुत बड़ा खतरा है। Ecosystem के लोग मुझे जितना भी गाली देना चाहें, दे सकते हैं, लेकिन मैं पीछे नहीं हटूंगा। pic.twitter.com/M47AOHMLWe
Slamming Congress and other opposition parties for recent incidents that pose challenges to the law and order situation in the state, CM Sarma said, “The pattern is same, after the Lok Sabha elections in Assam, in the areas where a party increased its vote share, the supporters of this party, i.e. a particular community, got so much courage that they could assert their dominance. The incidents of atrocities on Hindu women are the result of this.”
असम में लोक सभा चुनाव के बाद जिन क्षेत्रों में एक पार्टी ने अपना वोट शेयर बढ़ाया, वहाँ इस पार्टी के समर्थकों यानी एक विशेष समुदाय को इतना साहस प्राप्त हुआ कि वह अपना दबदबा बनाने के चक्कर में हैं। हिंदू महिलाओं पर जो अत्याचार की घटना आ रही है इसी का परिणाम है। pic.twitter.com/slgtoxaNk3
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 25, 2024
He further stated, “In Assam, crime against women is also a part of a large encroachment strategy. They scare families and then grab their land. The holy town of Dhing and the site of a recent crime against a Hindu minor, once had 90% Hindu population. Today, it has 90% Muslim population.”
In Assam, crime against women is also a part of a large encroachment
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 25, 2024
strategy. They scare families and then grab their land.
The holy town of Dhing and the site of a recent crime against a Hindu minor, once had 90% Hindu population.
Today, it has 90% Muslim population. pic.twitter.com/i4LadMsrQ4
Earlier, on 21st August, during a media interaction, an online media journalist named Shah Alam asked a question to CM Sarma. Alam had asked whether the state government had taken any action against the cutting of hills in Mandakata, which falls under his Jalukbari constituency.
In response to his query, CM Sarman asked Alam if he had any video footage of hill cutting, and then he should share it adding that if the hill-cutting operation is going there then it will have to be stopped.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma rebuked a reporter over his religious identity after the reporter asked a question on hill cuttings in his constituency Jalukbari.
— Rokibuz Zaman (@ROKIBUZZAMAN2) August 22, 2024
Sarma asked him whether they (Muslims) will allow them (Hindus) to live in Assam, citing "demographic change". pic.twitter.com/Q0F4VXH1Pz
He, however, added that the cutting of Mandakata hill could not be the reason for the sudden flood in Guwahati, as it is located on the northern bank of Brahmaputra. During this interaction, the CM asked the journalist for his name. The journalist identified himself as Shah Alam. He then mentioned the name of a private university, whose founder and chancellor is a Muslim man named Mahbubul Haq. Earlier, Sarma had also held this university in Meghalaya responsible for the floods in Guwahati.
CM Sarma had stated that trees within the forest area were cut on a large scale for the construction of the campus of the University of Science and Technology, located near Guwahati in Meghalaya, which led to flash floods in Guwahati. He added that the gates of the university resembled Mecca (Islamic city of Saudi Arabia). He also mentioned that he would be approaching the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the university.
The leftist and Islamist gangs as well as the opposition parties hyped up the matter and dubbed him communal. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said, “What the Assam CM said is unacceptable and condemnable. A sick mind and a loud mouth are a toxic combination.”
