The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Friday strongly criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his recent remarks targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims, commonly referred to as Miyas, calling them unconstitutional, dangerous, and deeply divisive. The board urged the Supreme Court of India to take suo motu cognisance of the issue and also appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to initiate appropriate constitutional action.
In a strongly worded statement, AIMPLB spokesperson Dr SQR Ilyas said hate speech against Muslims has moved beyond fringe political voices and is now being openly voiced by people holding the highest constitutional offices. “What was once whispered at the margins is now being said openly from public platforms by chief ministers who are sworn to protect the Constitution,” he said.
The board said the controversy arose from remarks reportedly made by Sarma at a government event in Assam, where he spoke about so-called Bangladeshi Miyas and claimed that BJP workers had filed more than five lakh objections during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls against people suspected to be foreigners. According to the AIMPLB, the chief minister’s remarks encouraged harassment of a specific religious community and promoted the use of electoral processes to target Muslims.
“These are not casual political comments. This is an open call to harass a community, question their citizenship, and isolate them socially and economically,” Dr Ilyas said. He added that such statements directly violate Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality, non-discrimination, and the right to life with dignity.
The AIMPLB warned that if constitutional bodies, especially the Election Commission of India, fail to act independently and resist political pressure, it would seriously damage public faith in free and fair elections. “When a sitting chief minister encourages people to weaponise electoral laws against a religious group, it shows a breakdown of constitutional responsibility,” the statement said.
The board also expressed concern that similar remarks have been made earlier by chief ministers in other states, indicating a pattern of normalised hate speech against minorities. It called the situation a serious test for India’s constitutional institutions and appealed to secular political parties, civil society groups, and concerned citizens to speak out.
At the same time, the AIMPLB appealed to Muslims in Assam to remain calm and not fall into the trap of provocation. “We urge our community to respond only through legal and constitutional means. The rule of law must prevail over hatred and intimidation,” Dr Ilyas said.
The remarks come at a time when Assam is undergoing a Special Intensive Revision of its electoral rolls ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The Election Commission has stated that additions and deletions in the voter list will be finalised only after following due process, with the final roll scheduled to be published next month.
