Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remarks during his rallies in poll-bound Jharkhand have sparked controversy, leading leaders of the INDIA Opposition to file a complaint with the state Chief Electoral Officer, demanding action against the BJP leader.
In their letter to the election panel, the INDIA bloc accused Sarma of making inflammatory comments aimed at Muslims during a rally in Sarath, Jharkhand. They highlighted his statements, which suggested that while Muslims vote as a bloc, Hindus split their votes, and claimed that the government invites “infiltrators” due to their voting patterns. The letter characterized Sarma’s rhetoric as divisive and potentially inciting violence during the upcoming assembly elections.
The opposition leaders expressed concerns that such “hate speech” exemplifies the divisive politics promoted by Sarma and the BJP, warning that it could lead to extremist ideologies and hate crimes as a result of the hostile environment created by his words.
Sarma has dismissed the accusations, asserting that discussing Hindus does not equate to targeting Muslims. In response to the complaints, he stated, “Why complain against me? What am I saying? Why are they hurt when I speak against infiltrators? Where is it written that it is wrong to speak against infiltrators? Talking about Hindus doesn’t mean targeting Muslims.” He further claimed that he has never mentioned Muslims in his speeches, framing his comments as a protective stance for Hindus.
Regarding his earlier statement about potentially renaming a subdivision in Palamu district after Ram or Krishna, Sarma questioned whether it was a crime to discuss such changes, arguing that if so, then the Jharkhand movement itself was illegal.
The elections for 81 seats in Jharkhand are scheduled for November 13 and 20, with the ruling alliance of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress, and Rashtriya Janata Dal working to maintain power against a coalition of the BJP, All Jharkhand Students’ Union, JDU, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
