Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, a prominent campaigner for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, has been accused of using Islamophobia to strengthen the BJP’s support. In an interview with The Indian Express, CM Himanta addressed these accusations and shared his views on communal harmony and political issues in Assam.
“Islamophobia is real for many of us because sections of Muslims in our country hate the majority community,” said CM Himanta. “If you see my election speeches in Assam, I have not mentioned the word Muslim at all, and I campaigned intensively in Muslim-dominated areas. I have transformed a large section of the Muslim community from being Hindu haters to those who can coexist with Hindus. The incidents of love jihad and land grabbing have come down. We have recovered land and redistributed it to temples and monasteries. In Assam, harmony between Hindus and Muslims is at an all-time high. I have not raised any anti-Muslim remarks because they have genuinely accepted the delimitation process.”
Himanta Biswa Sarma proposed that Assam could serve as a model for the rest of India. “Once a model like Assam is established outside the State – let Muslims accept a Uniform Civil Code and the Krishna Janambhoomi in Mathura, shift the Gyanvapi Masjid (in Varanasi), things will change. That will bring down Islamophobia among Hindus. Today, Kashmir has witnessed a high voter turnout, people have accepted the abrogation of Article 370… it has changed the landscape.”
He asserted reducing Islamophobia requires dialogue between communities. “Islamophobia cannot be reduced by the so-called secular people. It has to be reduced by a dialogue between Hindus and Muslims. You just cannot blame Hindus asking why they are speaking against Muslims. You have to ask Muslims also why they are speaking against Hindus. I think only a few issues remain between Hindus and Muslims now. In the coming five years of the Modi Government, all these issues will be resolved. Gradually we will see the politics of development. We need to make India developed and for all communities to live in harmony. Let them shift the Shahi Eidgah (in Mathura) to a different location. If the Gyanvapi Masjid can be relocated, not by force but with mutual consultation, the situation will be different.”
As the Lok Sabha poll results approach, CM Himanta is optimistic about the BJP’s performance. He predicted that the BJP will win “at least 21 to 22 out of the 25 seats in the Northeast.” He also addressed the concerns surrounding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). “Assam saw the most impact of the passage of the CAA. There was apprehension that its implementation would again trigger protests. The response has been lukewarm because earlier, there was a lot of miscommunication. In Assam, we could not dispel the impression that Bangladeshi Hindus would come and settle here.”
Himanta Sarma continued, “After I took over as CM in 2021, we held formal and informal programs to dispel the fears. Home Minister Amit Shah had informed me privately that the CAA was a reality and would be notified sooner or later, giving me time for preparing the ground. We convinced a large section that the CAA would not change the demography of Assam.”
Regarding illegal immigrants in detention camps, the Assam CM clarified, “In Assam, there is no Bengali Hindu in any camp. There is a high court order that no one can be detained in a camp for more than two years. So, if we have put anyone in a camp and Bangladesh does not accept them, we have to release them. Their names will not be in the voter list, but they are free. There may be an insignificant number of people in camps, maybe 70 or 80.”
Himanta Sarma highlighted his focus on the development of human capital and social infrastructure while preserving Assamese identity. “The delimitation process was completely without hype, and convinced the people that our identity is not at stake. That is my achievement in three years.”
Discussing the peace pact with the United Liberation Front of Assam or ULFA, HImanta Sarma said, “Because of the active engagement of the Home Ministry, particularly Home Minister Amit Shah, we have convinced almost every extremist group in Assam to join the mainstream. In the last 30 years, we lost more than 50,000 civilians to extremist strikes or police action. This agreement with the ULFA has brought in a huge transformation. In the last three years, we have not seen even democratic protests in Assam. It has become completely peaceful; I would not have expected this in my lifetime.”
He also touched on the ongoing Naga peace process and the conflict in Manipur. “The Naga Peace accord has not been concluded yet, but the Central Government and Naga people have agreed they will not destabilize the State. That is why, barring Manipur, the last 10 years have been the most peaceful in the history of the Northeast.”
On the Manipur crisis, CM Himanta stated, “Manipur has a history of conflict between the major communities of Meiteis, Kukis, and Nagas. Unfortunately, every 10 years, a conflict erupts. When there is a conflict between two tribal groups, particularly in the Northeast, it is not easy to resolve. They have their own issues and try to resolve them outside the government. Many do not accept mediation. We have to be patient and allow them to resolve it. My assessment is that the Manipur situation will heal on its own. We can maintain law and order.”
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is often seen as a potential future leader of the BJP, alongside Uttar Pradesh Counterpart Yogi Adityanath. However, he dismissed such comparisons. “Yogi Adityanath is the CM of a big State and a very big landscape, so a comparison is completely unwarranted. My State has only 14 Lok Sabha seats; UP has 80. I know my limitations and I am happy in Assam. People like me, at 55 years, should not behave like Rahul Gandhi. We should know our limitations.”
