AIUDF MLA claims 'Aurangazeb donated land for Kamakhya temple'; CM Himanta warns of arrest

Stirring a controversy, AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam on Tuesday, claimed that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had donated land to Guwahati's Kamakhya temple. He added that the Mughal emperor had also donated lands to several other temples. Incensed at his comments, Kutumba Surakshya Mission has filed a complaint against him at the Dispur police station.

AIUDF MLA: 'Aurangazeb donated land to Kamakhya temple'

“Aurangzeb had donated lands to hundreds of temples in India, he donated 178 hectares of land to the Jangamwadi temple in Varanasi. Aurangzeb’s land grant to the Kamakhya temple is still on display at the British Museum,” said Islam - the MLA from Dhing constituency. 

Retorting to his comments, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Islam will be jailed if he repeats such comments. Reminding that Baghbar MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed was jailed for his 'Miya museum' comment, Sarma warned that any comments against any God will not be tolerated. He added that Islam was free to criticise his govt policies, but not people's faith.

"MLA Sherman Ali is now in jail. If he makes such statements again, Aminul Islam will have to go jail too. Under my government, such statements on our culture will not be tolerated. No one should drag Kamakhya, Sankardev, Buddha, Mahavir Jain and even Prophet Mohammad,” said Sarma.

Refusing to back down, Islam added, "Maheswar Neog's Pavitra Assam book says one of Aurangzeb's officials had issued such a decree. Instead of threatening me, CM should threaten Asam Sahitya Sabha for publishing the wrong book. Secularism existed during the rule of thousands of rulers, irrespective of their religion. So these statements of Assam's CM, about how we only got secularism after independence & how Muslims entered the country only 300 years back, are wrong".

Previously, ahead of Assam polls, Baghbar MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed had proposed a museum reflecting the culture of 'Char-Chapori' people in the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra premises in Guwahati, kicking up a political storm. Ahmed had mentioned 'Miya Museum' in a Facebook post while handing over the letter issuing his demand to the director of museums. Furthermore, Ahmed said, "Lungis should be kept at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra" - the traditional attire of the Char-Charpori men.

Enraged by his demand, then-minister Sarma retaliated angrily stating 'After he (Ahmed) said this I could not sleep the whole night. He will be sent to jail if he does not apologise publicly, after the polls'. He added that Ahmed will be dealt with after the polls because, "If we do so now, he (Ahmed) will get a few more votes in the assembly elections". Ahmed was arrested in September for his 'provocative' comments on the eviction drive in Darrang district which led to violence.