Himanta Sarma terms himself 'Extremist of protecting Assam culture'; slams AIUDF chief

Stirring another controversy, Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday, termed himself an 'Extremist in protecting Assamese and Indian culture'. Reacting to the Opposition calling him and AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal 'two extremes of polarisation', he said that Ajmal represented a symbol of 'certain people' who are BJP's enemy. Sarma has alleged that AIUDF is bringing money in the name of social service to further their 'fundamentalist organisation'. Assam goes to polls in April-May.

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Ajmal stirs controversy

Recently, Dhubri Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal alleged that if BJP comes to power again in the centre, it will destroy mosques and put several restrictions on Muslims such as - banning burquas, not allowing Muslim men to grow beard, wear a skull cap or offer 'azaan' at mosques. Ajmal further questioned, 'Will you be able to live in such a way?'. The AIUDF has been a strong opposer of the NRC which was conducted in Assam, leaving 19 lakh ineligible for citizenship. 

In response, Sarma had courted controversy claiming that 'Miya Muslims' - a term for Bengali Muslims in Assam - don't vote for BJP. Pointing that the group did not vote for them in 2014 or the panchayat polls he said that the BJP will still contest the seats where Bengali Muslims were in majority. Claiming that those who do not identify themselves with 'Miya Muslims' could vote for them or their ally Asom Gana Parishad.

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Congress-AIUDF alliance

AIUDF has joined hands with Congress, the three Left parties - CPI-Marxist, CPI, CPI (Marxist-Leninist) and (Anchalik Gana Morcha) AGM for the upcoming polls. Terming it the grand alliance to 'save Assam', the deal was kicked off by late CM Tarun Gogoi, who had reached out to Ajmal to seal a Congress-AIUDF alliance for the 2021 elections, as per reports - his last political act. The alliance now faces the BJP-Asom Gana Parishad alliance in the upcoming polls. Ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has kicked off the Congress campaign vowing that 'CAA will never be implemented', assuring to stick to the Assam accord.

Assam witnessed massive protests against the CAA-NRC-NPR, as  Assamese people fear a massive inrush of migrants which will threaten their indigenous culture - violating the Assam accords. The BJP is yet to convince the state subjects of the merits of CAA, after the disastrous NRC drive which resulted in the exclusion of 19 lakh citizens. Both Amit Shah and Narendra Modi have campaigned in Assam, assuring that CAA will be implemented post-COVID vaccination drive.

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