Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is facing criticism after making controversial remarks targeting the religious identity of a Muslim journalist during a press interaction on August 21. The incident occurred after a meeting on the Rajya Sabha nomination process held at the Assam Legislative Assembly.
The exchange began when journalist Shah Alam, who works for the local news portal News Now, questioned Sarma about the ongoing hill-cutting activities in the Jalukbari assembly constituency, which have been linked to environmental degradation and flooding.
In response, Sarma, known for his Islamophobic rhetoric, deflected the question and brought up the issue of demographic change in Assam. After learning Alam’s name, Sarma sarcastically remarked, “Oh! You people, like Shah Alam and USTM proprietor Mahbubul Hoque, have all combined the issues that have become a big question for our Assamese community whether we can survive.” He further insinuated that the presence of Muslims in Assam poses a threat to the existence of Hindus in the state, questioning whether people like Shah Alam and Mahbubul Hoque would “permit us to live here.”
Alam, who was taken aback by the chief minister’s remarks, expressed his shock and disappointment. He noted that the incident was an unprecedented attack on a journalist’s religious identity by a sitting chief minister. “It was a jolt out of the blue. I never imagined that he would publicly deride me over my religious identity,” Alam told The Wire.
The Gauhati Press Club expressed deep concern over the incident, saying that such remarks are inappropriate and undermine the dignity of the press. In a statement, the press club urged political leaders to refrain from making similar comments in the future and to respect the role of the media.
The Press Club of India also extended its support to Alam and backed the Gauhati Press Club’s statement, condemning the Assam CM’s remarks.
