Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday warned All India Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind President Mahmood A. Madani that he would face arrest if he “crossed his limits” during his visit to the eviction sites in Goalpara district.
Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Sarma said neither he nor the BJP feared Madani. “Who is Madani? Is he a God? Madani’s bravado is only during Congress, not with the BJP. If he crosses his limits, I will put him behind bars. I am the CM, not Madani. I am not scared of Madani,” Sarma said.
Madani, who visited the eviction-hit areas in Goalpara on Monday, had demanded that the Assam government follow the Supreme Court’s guidelines while carrying out such drives. At a press conference, he urged the state to ensure fairness and legality in the eviction process.
Reacting to the visit, Sarma said he had deliberately allowed Madani to see the conditions firsthand. “I allowed him to go and see for himself how much worse it can happen if someone encroaches land. Now, he won’t tell others to encroach land. Because they will be scared only if these leaders witness the scene,” the CM said.
Sarma further added that evictions in Village Grazing Reserves (VGRs) and Professional Grazing Reserves (PGRs) would continue. “If unknown people stay in the forest, VGR and PGR, then eviction will definitely take place. Now, they know what I am. Madani is a valueless topic. Their value is only during the Congress,” he remarked.
