Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that the Bharatiya Janata Party does not consider Miya Muslims, the Bengali-origin Muslim community in Assam, as its enemies, but expressed concern over what he described as certain practices among sections of the community. The remarks came in the context of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, expected to be held in April.
“The Miya people are not our enemies,” Sarma said, but added that the party’s objections were centred on what he described as “love jihad, land encroachment, child marriage and fertiliser jihad,” the last being an accusation that some farmers from the community use harmful chemicals in food grown for mass consumption. He said the BJP would not view the community as adversarial if these concerns were addressed.
BJP Open to Any Patriotic Candidate, Says Sarma
Sarma was responding to a direct question about whether a Miya Muslim could receive a BJP ticket in the upcoming elections. He said the party was comfortable fielding anyone who was patriotic and expressed support for slogans such as “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” or “Vande Mataram.” He also outlined the BJP’s strategy in Muslim-dominated constituencies, saying the party would contest a limited number of such seats and that candidate selection would be based on winnability rather than religion. “Selection of candidates will not be based on religion,” he said.
Who Are the Miya Muslims of Assam?
In Assam, the word “Miya” has historically been used as a derogatory term directed at Muslims of Bengali origin, who are frequently accused of being undocumented migrants from Bangladesh. The word derives from a common honorific used among South Asian Muslims but was long weaponised as a slur in the state. In recent years, members of the community have reclaimed the term as a self-descriptor to refer to Muslims who migrated to Assam from Bengal during the colonial era.
Remarks Come Amid Legal Scrutiny Over Alleged Hate Speech
Thursday’s relatively conciliatory tone contrasts with a series of statements Sarma made over the past month that drew sharp criticism. He had earlier claimed it was his job to “make them suffer” and said he had directed BJP workers to file applications seeking the removal of Miya Muslim names from electoral rolls.
A week before Thursday’s remarks, the Gauhati High Court issued a notice to both the Centre and the Assam government after hearing multiple petitions seeking action against Sarma for alleged hate speech targeting the community. However, in February, the Supreme Court had declined to entertain separate petitions seeking the filing of an FIR against Sarma on similar grounds.
