Guwahati:

Congress MP Rakibul Hussain was attacked with a cricket bat by a group of unidentified people in Assam’s Nagaon district on Thursday, police said. 

Mr Hussain, a Lok Sabha MP from Dhubri constituency, however, escaped unhurt and was rescued by his personal security officers (PSOs). 

The incident took place at Natun Bazar in Rupahihat when Mr Hussain was on his way on a two-wheeler to attend a meeting of party workers. 

A viral video of the assault shows one of the attackers hitting Mr Hussain with a bat before fleeing the spot. The remaining accused, whose faces are covered with a black cloth, attack the MP’s PSOs, prompting one of them to fire warning shots in the air. The attackers then flee the spot. 

The reason behind the attack could not be immediately ascertained.

The Congress demanded a thorough probe into the security lapse, even as the police said they have launched an investigation.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Assam assembly Debabrata Saikia said: “The chief minister briefs the assembly on the alleged improvement in law and order but even an MP is not safe on the streets. How could an MP come under attack this way needs to be investigated.” 

Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh said: “Mr Hussain is safe. He was attacked by a mob. His security personnel rescued him. Two of the security men, however, sustained injuries in the assault.” 

Mr Hussain had won from Dhubri Lok Sabha seat last year by a record margin of over 10 lakh votes. His son had contested the bypoll for the Samaguri assembly constituency, represented by Mr Hussain for five terms, and lost to Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Diplu Ranjan Sarma.

Several incidents of violence were registered in the constituency and nearby areas in the run-up to the bypolls in November last year.

Guwahati:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday ordered the registration of a case against a Pakistani national, who is believed to have links with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, for “trying to interfere in domestic matters” of the state and the country. 

Mr Sarma also said that Elizabeth Colburn, Mr Gogoi’s wife, will also be probed over her alleged links with Pakistan and its intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Besides, she will also be investigated over her alleged participation in the Lok Sabha election campaigns despite being a British citizen.

The erstwhile Kaliabor constituency was won by Mr Gogoi twice, from 2014 till 2024. 

The developments that took place during a cabinet meeting came a day after Mr Gogoi threatened to approach court over Mr Sarma and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s accusations against his wife. 

There was no immediate reaction from the Congress leader on Mr Sarma’s latest comment but earlier in the day, he said he does not want to get involved in “dirty and baseless” politics. He had also rejected the charges as “laughable and entertaining” in the past.

Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, Mr Sarma said: “Multiple news reports, social media posts and other information in the public domain have surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistan national, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam. Given the broader national security implications of this issue, particularly in Assam, the state cabinet has directed the DGP to register a case against Sheikh under appropriate provisions of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and other relevant laws.” 

The Chief Minister also alleged that an assessment of Mr Sheikh’s social media activity and information available in the public domain shows he has been in contact with Ms Colburn.

“Apart from his engagements with Government of Pakistan, Ali Sheikh has also founded LEAD Pakistan, a non-profit organisation working in the field of climate change. Elizabeth Gogoi was an integral part of LEAD Pakistan during her time spent in Islamabad. Both Sheikh and Elizabeth Gogoi have been a part of global climate action group called the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) which operates in both India and Pakistan,” he said. 

In light of these facts and given the historical attempts of Pakistani state and non-state actors to destabilise Assam, the state government took Mr Sheikh’s attempts to interfere in the domestic matters of the state and India with utmost seriousness, he added. 

A controversy erupted on February 12 when BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Ms Colburn shared ties with the ISI while she worked with the Climate and Knowledge Development Network in Islamabad under Mr Sheikh, a former advisor to the Planning Commission of Pakistan.

Mr Sarma, without naming Mr Gogoi, also raised similar accusations the same day, prompting a sharp retort from the Congress leader. He counter attacked with a movie reference. “If Salman Khan’s wife can be an ISI agent like in ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, then I must be a RAW agent too,” Mr Gogoi said. 

On Saturday, Mr Sarma said a police case is likely to be registered and a Special Investigation Team be constituted to probe into the allegations against the opposition leader’s wife.

The Chief Minister alleged that after Ms Colburn married Mr Gogoi, Mr Sheikh must have gained access to the Chief Minister’s Office. 

He also alleged that Mr Gogoi’s visit to the Pakistan embassy has been confirmed. “In the Lok Sabha, the MP asked questions on nuclear radars, uranium mines in Meghalaya and other such sensitive matters. What was the need to know such things by an Assam MP? I hope he and his wife will cooperate in the probe, otherwise they will be summoned,” he said. 

Mr Sarma also alleged that Ms Colburn campaigned for her husband prior to two Lok Sabha elections in Kaliabor constituency.

“How could a British national take part in Indian elections? She was directly involved with the election process and we can see old TV clippings. That means she violated visa norms. If so, the Indian government should examine it and revoke her visa,” he said.

The Chief Minister said when he meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah the next time, he will discuss how the state government’s proactiveness can be synergised with central agencies.

It looks like Mr Gogoi is just an actor, and not the director, in the entire system, Mr Sarma said. “Maybe, he is trapped unintentionally. So, we will examine the matter with a sympathetic outlook. We don’t want to accuse him at this moment,” he said. 

“The way London, America and Islamabad are involved, he may be blackmailed also, who knows about it? Therefore, the entire subject requires serious deep investigation,” he added.

Mr Sarma said he will submit “all documents” to state Congress President Bhupen Borah, so that they can verify the facts themselves. “Perhaps, the Congress is unaware of the full picture,” he said. 

“When the case is investigated, I will write a letter to Borah to inform him about the background and the reasons behind our decision to pursue the matter. The letter I will give to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Amit Shah) will also be given to INC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Borah. This is a matter of national security,” he said. 

Earlier in the day, Mr Gogoi said that instead of getting involved in “dirty and baseless” politics, the Congress is working on how to give a new economy, social order, education and health policy to Assam. “I have no objection to that if he (Mr Sarma) wants to spend the next 12 months like this only. I am grateful for that,” the Congress leader said.

Guwahati:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday urged Japan’s leading universities to explore academic collaboration with the state’s varsities, particularly through joint degree courses and student exchange programmes in research and skilling. 

Mr Sarma, who was winding up his three-day visit to Japan, also held discussions with ministers and top officials of leading companies of the Asian country to seek investments and woo them with the northeastern state’s investor-friendly policies and customised incentives for ‘Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit’ next month. 

The business meet is scheduled to be held on February 25 and 26.

“Feeling Proud. As I conclude my visit to Japan and head back home, I can’t help but appreciate the excellent foundation in bilateral ties which Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji has laid with our strategic partner countries since 2014,” he said on X.

“Coming from Assam, the respect and warmth we received from Government and business leaders here reflect the pivotal role of North Eastern States in furthering India’s diplomatic prowess. Until  Next Time, Japan,” he added. 

Feeling Proud

As I conclude my visit to Japan and head back home, I can’t help but appreciate the excellent foundation in bilateral ties which Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji has laid with our strategic partner countries since 2014.

Coming from Assam, the… pic.twitter.com/fMz00sWvwZ

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 24, 2025

On his meeting with Japan’s leading universities, Mr Sarma said: “We also spoke about providing more educational opportunities to the vast community of students from Assam and the rest of the country, as well as creating more pathways for students in Assam to access Japan’s university network.” 

In a statement, the state government said Mr Sarma met Japan’s Parliamentary vice-minister Akiko Ikuina and exchanged views on a wide range of issues concerning Assam and Japan. The two leaders also held discussions on cooperation in the fields of skilled workforce and prevailing opportunities in Japan for Assam’s youngsters.

The statement said that Ms Ikuina conveyed to the Chief Minister about her country’s intention of offering India, especially Assam’s young and skilled workforce, job opportunities in Japan.

Mr Sarma referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a robust friendship between India and Japan, and said friendly bilateral ties are the cornerstones for making the lives of people living in both the countries better.

The Chief Minister also met Terutoshi Hamano and his team from Toyota Motor Corp and discussed establishment of a potential automobile ancillary unit in Assam. Mr Sarma requested Mr Hamano to expand its present skilling programme footprints to more institutions across the state.

Mr Sarma also held a meeting with the executive vice-president of Tokyo Electron (TEL), one of Japan’s biggest chipmaker companies. He met with the CEO of Mizuho Securities India as he discussed extending credit linkages to Assam-based companies facilitating investments from Japanese firms. 

The Chief Minister also met vice-president of Yokogawa Electric Yoshiaki Asakura and discussed business opportunities in Assam.

Guwahati:

The Assam government on Thursday announced a judicial enquiry and a police Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the Umrangso coal mine incident, in which nine workers were trapped with bodies of four victims recovered so far.

It also declared an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the victims, even as officials said that suspected seepage of fresh water from underground streams has slowed down the dewatering process.

A coal mine in the Umrangso area of Dima Hasao district was flooded on January six when water had gushed in suddenly, trapping nine workers inside. Four bodies have been recovered since then in the rescue operations.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, announcing decisions taken at a Cabinet meeting at Morigaon, said, “We discussed in detail about the Umrangso tragedy and officials deputed at the incident site gave a presentation of the situation on ground.” He said as per the assessment of agencies like the Geological Survey of India, Coal India, OIL, NDRF, Army and Navy, engaged at the incident site, about 1,400 crore litres of water was present in the mine.

“About 400 crore litres has been pumped out so far and, if the dewatering continues at the current rate, it will take about 25 to 60 days for the process to be completed. We have told the agencies to continue with the process in the presence of the army till we reach the logical conclusion,” the CM added.

Sarma said the chances of survival of the remaining five miners are “slim” now and announced Rs 10 lakh compensation to families of all the nine workers.

He said the Cabinet approved a judicial enquiry into the incident, with Justice (Retd) Anima Hazarika to head the one-person committee and submit its report to the government within three months.

“The DGP has been asked to form a SIT for criminal enquiry into the incident and the Justice Hazarika committee will monitor the SIT. Those responsible for it will be punished,” he added.

The CM said that 220 similar rat-hole coal mines have been located in the same area and satellite mapping technology will be used to determine the time when these quarries were first opened.

“The Revenue and Disaster Management department has been asked to carry it out and seek help of ISRO or even foreign agencies to establish the timeline,” he said.

Sarma added that the process for filing up these quarries will also be started in consultation with Central Mine Planning and Design Institute.

Meanwhile, officials in Dima Hasao said operations to rescue the remaining five miners are being hampered by suspected seepage of fresh water from underground streams which is slowing down the dewatering process.

Even as several pumps remained pressed into action to dewater the mine, water continued to recede at a slow pace thus delaying rescue operations, they said.

“Water is being continuously pumped out. But it has been slow as it is now suspected that fresh water from some source underground keeps replenishing it,” they said.

The officials said NDRF, SDRF and Army personnel remained engaged in the rescue operations, while navy divers were withdrawn.

The general officer commanding (GOC) of Spear Corps, Lt Gen Abhijit S Pendharkar, visited the site and interacted with the specialist army troops, Assam Rifles and other agencies involved in the rescue operations, the Spear Corps said in a post on X.

It said army divers are undertaking regular search operations in coordination with other agencies.

Sappers have been assisting the civil administration for over ten days and are currently involved in pumping out water using 15 pumps at a rate of 7.9 lakh litres per hour, it added.

“The Corps Commander appreciated the commitment of the troops and all individuals involved in the operation and exhorted them to be relentless in their efforts to aid the civil administration,” the post in the Spears Corps official X account added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Last week China announced that it is building the world’s largest dam in Tibet – even larger than the Three Gorges Dam, which according to NASA, has slowed the Earth’s rotation by 0.06 seconds. But unlike that one, which is built in central China, the new one will be built in an environmentally-sensitive Himalayan zone in Tibet, very close to the border with India.

Besides the impact on the environment, the region is geologically fragile too as it falls in a high seismic zone and hence is prone to earthquakes of a relatively higher magnitude. These are two of several concerns New Delhi has about the gigantic project planned on the Brahmaputra river – which China calls by the name Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet.

Days after Beijing’s announcement about the mega project, New Delhi responded today, saying India will “protect its interests”. It also sent a reminder to Beijing reiterating its rights to the waters of the river while also seeking transparency over Beijing’s plans.

For now, the Ministry of External Affairs said, New Delhi will continue to closely monitor the latest developments, adding that necessary and appropriate action will be taken when required.

“We will continue to monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests,” the foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

The project will have a massive impact on the flow of the Brahmaputra as well as the river basin. The proposed project will result in periods of severe drought and colossal floods affecting millions, perhaps tens of millions of Indians living downstream.

At a press conference in New Delhi today, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said that Beijing has been urged “to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas”.

Addressing a question on concerns about the projects adverse impact on Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, Mr Jaiswal said, “As a lower riparian state with established user rights to the waters of the river, we have consistently expressed, through expert-level as well as diplomatic channels, our views and concerns to the Chinese side over mega projects on rivers in their territory.”

“These have been reiterated, along with the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries, following the latest report,” he added.

The hydroelectric project also has a geopolitical impact. The project may has the potential to result in acute geopolitical tensions between India and China, as it sows the seeds of “water wars” between the two nations – something Genevieve Donnellon-May, a geopolitical and global strategy adviser wrote about in 2022.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE PROJECT SO FAR

The dam, once complete, will be the world’s largest hydropower project. It is proposed to be built on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau, located in the lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo (Tsangpo) or Brahmaputra river.

This ambitious project is part of China’s 14th five-year plan and aims to produce 300 billion Kwh of electricity annually. The project cost is estimated at USD 137 billion, making it the biggest infrastructure project globally.

At 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, this new dam will more than triple the 88.2 billion kWh designed capacity of the Three Gorges Dam, currently the world’s largest, in central China.

During the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, China had to resettle more than 1.4 million people who were displaced because of the project. This new project is three times the size, but Beijing has not given any estimate of how many people will be displaced.

The project will also alter the regional ecology impacting both Tibet and India. It will also change the course of the river downstream – having a damaging impact on India and change the agricultural landscape.
 

New Delhi:

Last week China announced that it is building the world’s largest dam in Tibet – even larger than the Three Gorges Dam, which according to NASA, has slowed the Earth’s rotation by 0.06 seconds. But unlike that one, which is built in central China, the new one will be built in an environmentally-sensitive Himalayan zone in Tibet, very close to the border with India.

Besides the impact on the environment, the region is geologically fragile too as it falls in a high seismic zone and hence is prone to earthquakes of a relatively higher magnitude. These are two of several concerns New Delhi has about the gigantic project planned on the Brahmaputra river – which China calls by the name Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet.

Days after Beijing’s announcement about the mega project, New Delhi responded today, saying India will “protect its interests”. It also sent a reminder to Beijing reiterating its rights to the waters of the river while also seeking transparency over Beijing’s plans.

For now, the Ministry of External Affairs said, New Delhi will continue to closely monitor the latest developments, adding that necessary and appropriate action will be taken when required.

“We will continue to monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests,” the foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

The project will have a massive impact on the flow of the Brahmaputra as well as the river basin. The proposed project will result in periods of severe drought and colossal floods affecting millions, perhaps tens of millions of Indians living downstream.

At a press conference in New Delhi today, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said that Beijing has been urged “to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas”.

Addressing a question on concerns about the projects adverse impact on Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, Mr Jaiswal said, “As a lower riparian state with established user rights to the waters of the river, we have consistently expressed, through expert-level as well as diplomatic channels, our views and concerns to the Chinese side over mega projects on rivers in their territory.”

“These have been reiterated, along with the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries, following the latest report,” he added.

The hydroelectric project also has a geopolitical impact. The project has the potential to result in acute geopolitical tensions between India and China, as it sows the seeds of “water wars” between the two nations – something Genevieve Donnellon-May, a geopolitical and global strategy adviser wrote about in 2022.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE PROJECT SO FAR

The dam, once complete, will be the world’s largest hydropower project. It is proposed to be built on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau, located in the lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo (Tsangpo) or Brahmaputra river.

This ambitious project is part of China’s 14th five-year plan and aims to produce 300 billion kWh of electricity annually. The project cost is estimated at USD 137 billion, making it the biggest infrastructure project globally.

At 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, this new dam will more than triple the 88.2 billion kWh designed capacity of the Three Gorges Dam, currently the world’s largest, in central China.

During the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, China had to resettle more than 1.4 million people who were displaced because of the project. This new project is three times the size, but Beijing has not given any estimate of how many people will be displaced.

The project will alter the regional ecology impacting both Tibet and India. It will also change the course of the river downstream – having a damaging impact on India and change the agricultural landscape.
 

Guwahati:

A 34-year-old man from Manipur’s hill district Churachandpur has been arrested from Guwahati by the Assam special task force (STF) for alleged involvement in sabotage activities linked to the insurgent group United Kuki National Army, or UKLA.

The accused, LS Yosef Chongloi, handled finances — “self-styled finance secretary” — for the UKNA, and is suspected to be involved in sabotage activities covering Manipur and bordering areas of Assam, STF sources said.

The UKLA is not part of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement in Manipur.

The sabotage activities include the bomb attack that destroyed a bridge on National Highway 2 in Manipur’s Saparmeina in April, and an ambush on fuel tankers in Tamenglong, the STF sources said.

READ | Bridge On Manipur’s Lifeline Bombed By Insurgents, 150 Trucks Stranded

The Inspector General of Police (STF) gave the order to arrest Chongloi based on intelligence inputs that he had been operating from Beltola area under Basistha police station in Guwahati, sources said.

He has been charged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the stringent anti-terror law. The charges include waging war against the state, conspiracy against the state, collecting firearms and concealing them to wage a war.

The Assam Police and the STF have been carrying out operations actively amid the ethnic tensions in Manipur.

READ | Man Carrying 10 High-End Drone Batteries For Manipur Terror Group Arrested

In June this year, a man in Assam was arrested for allegedly sourcing drone parts to supply to a terror group in Manipur’s valley areas, sources in the STF had said. The STF operatives had recovered a huge stock of drone parts from him.

In the same month, a man who allegedly tried to sneak into Manipur carrying 10 high-end drone batteries for a terror group was also arrested by the Assam STF. A filmmakers’ association of the Kuki tribes in Manipur, however, had refuted the allegations against what it called a renowned member of the association, who simply bought the drone batteries for work.

The police had called the arrest a “major breakthrough”, pointing at the use of drones in violence-hit Manipur.

Guwahati:

All new applicants for Aadhaar cards in Assam need to submit their NRC application receipt number (ARN), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.

A detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) will be prepared for the purpose and this will be implemented from October 1, he said.

The submission of the application receipt number of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will stop the “influx of illegal foreigners” and the state government will be ”very strict” in issuing Aadhaar cards, he said.

”Applications for Aadhaar cards are more than the population…It indicates that there are doubtful citizens and we have decided that new applicants will have to submit their NRC application receipt number (ARN),” the chief minister said at a press conference here.

He also said, “It will not be easy to get Aadhaar in Assam and hopefully, other states will also be strict in issuing Aadhaar cards.” The submission of the ARN will not be applicable to the 9.55 lakh people whose biometrics were locked during the NRC process, and they will get their cards,Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

It will also not be applicable in the tea garden areas as many have not got their Aadhaar cards due to some practical difficulties like non-availability of adequate biometric machines, the CM said.

Himanta Biswa Sarma pointed out that four districts have reported “more applications for Aadhaar cards than their total projected population”.

“These districts are Barpeta with 103.74 per cent, Dhubri with 103 per cent, and both Morigaon and Nagaon with 101 per cent,” he said.

According to him, the Centre has given the right to the state governments to decide on whether an Aadhaar card can be issued to an individual or not.

”In Assam, we have decided that Aadhaar cards will be issued to new applicants only after a no objection certificate is given by the district commissioner concerned. Such certificates will be issused after minutely examining all aspects. If the applicant has the NRC ARN, it becomes clear that he was in the state before 2014,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The chief minister said his government will “intensify the process of identification of illegal foreigners as several Bangladeshis were apprehended in the last two months and handed over to the authorities of the neighbouring country”.

Recent reports indicate an “increase in the number of illegal immigrants being detected, necessitating intensified efforts across the state to proactively curb the movement of illegal migrants while also taking steps to repatriate these individuals”, he pointed out.

Himanta Biswa Sarma said border surveillance and patrolling will be strengthened in areas under the jurisdiction of border outposts to detect and prevent illegal border crossings.

Stronger coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other central agencies will be established to facilitate seamless information sharing and joint operations for enhanced border security, he said.

Intelligence-gathering mechanisms, focusing on cross-border networks and infiltration routes will be enhanced along with community awareness programmes in border areas, he said.

Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that residents in border areas will be encouraged to report suspicious movements or new settlers, which will help early detection of potential illegal immigrants.

All cases of illegal immigrants must be promptly documented and forwarded to the Foreigners Tribunals for adjudication, while periodic verification of records should be conducted to prevent them from evading detection, the chief minister said.

Village or field-level government functionaries will be activated to gather information on new and unknown persons and upon receiving such information, an enumeration of suspected illegal immigrants must be conducted in consultation with Assam Police (HQ), district administration, and district police, he said.

Sustained efforts will be launched to locate and apprehend individuals, who have been on the run after being declared foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunals, the CM said.

After identifying suspected individuals or families, their biometrics will be collected and if such individuals possess Aadhaar, PAN, Voter IDs, or passports, their numbers should be recorded for future reference, Sarma added.

From January 2024 till date, 54 illegal immigrants have been detected – 48 in Karimganj, 4 in Bongaigaon and one each in Haflong GRP and Dhubri district.

Of them, 45 were handed over to their country of origin, while nine were arrested in Karimganj.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

A war of words between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has escalated over the Assam government’s move to scrap the practice of two-hour assembly session adjournment for jumma prayers.

While Mr Sarma from the ruling BJP pointed out the decision was taken jointly by all MLAs including Hindu and Muslim leaders, Mr Yadav alleged the Assam Chief Minister’s party has made Muslims soft targets to spread hate and polarise society.

What escalated the exchange between the two was Mr Yadav’s post on X that took a swipe at Mr Sarma as someone who wants to “gain cheap popularity and become the Chinese version of Yogi,” alluding to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

असम के मुख्यमंत्री सस्ती लोकप्रियता हासिल करने एवं “योगी का चाइनीज़ वर्जन” बनने के प्रयास में जानबुझकर मुसलमानों को परेशान करने वाले कृत्य करते रहते है। BJP के लोगों ने नफ़रत फैलाने, मोदी-शाह का ध्यान आकृष्ट करने एवं समाज में धुर्वीकरण करने के लिए मुसलमान भाइयों को सॉफ्ट टारगेट… pic.twitter.com/tVue9mXoY9

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) August 30, 2024

The RJD leader did not indicate if he was referring to inferior quality goods from China, or the north-east region, where people have often complained of racist remarks directed towards them.

Responding to Mr Yadav’s attack, Mr Sarma said, “Doing away with the two-hour jumma break was not the Chief Minister’s decision, but of all Hindu and Muslim legislators. When the assembly Speaker on Friday announced it, no Muslim MLA in the house raised any protest. There are 25 Muslim MLAs in Assam assembly, out of a total 126.”

असम में जुम्मे के ब्रेक को ख़त्म करने के निर्णय को कांग्रेस ने भी समर्थन दिया। बिहार या देश की किसी भी अन्य विधानसभा में ऐसा कोई ब्रेक है ही नहीं। मैं हैरान हूँ कि असम के बाहर के लोग बिना सोचे-समझे इसका विरोध कर रहे हैं। pic.twitter.com/fuUhhEi1nf

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 31, 2024

The Assam Chief Minister said the proposal to do away with this provision in the rules of procedures of the assembly was placed before the rules committee, headed by the Speaker, which unanimously agreed to drop the jumma practice.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is from the BJP, waded into the battle and attacked Mr Yadav, alleging that the RJD leader had labelled the Assam Chief Minister “a Chinese just because he is from the northeast.”

“It appears that the INDI Alliance is made up of a bunch of ignorant racists who have no information about the history and geography of our country. First, it was Sam Pitroda. Now, it’s Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards the people of northeast,” Mr Singh said.

It appears that the INDI Alliance is made up of a bunch of ignorant racists who have no information about the history & geography of our country.

First, it was Sam Pitroda. Now, it’s Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards the people of North east.

It is unfortunate that a… pic.twitter.com/uc78LpohC2

— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) August 31, 2024

Mr Sarma also shot back at Mr Yadav, accusing him of “hypocrisy”. “Tejashwi Yadav is criticising me but I want to ask him… is there any such practice in Bihar? You (Mr Yadav) should have implemented a four-hour break when you were deputy chief minister of Bihar. Practice it first before preaching,” Mr Sarma said.

He added the decision was being criticised only outside Assam, while the state MLAs showed commitment to work for development.

In May 2021, a blogger from Punjab was charged by the Arunachal Pradesh government for his racial remarks against a Congress MLA. The YouTube blogger Paras Singh had in a video termed then Congress MLA Ninong Ering a “non-Indian” and claimed the “state was a part of China”, sparking furore among Arunachal residents as well as people from other parts of the country. Paras Singh was arrested and brought to Arunachal Pradesh, where he said he realised his mistake and sought apology. He was granted bail and allowed to return home.

Guwahati:

Eighteen Opposition parties in Assam have filed a police complaint against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his comments that he would not let ‘Miya’ Muslims “take over” Assam.

The joint forum of the 18 Opposition parties led by the Congress alleged Mr Sarma has encouraged hate among communities.

“There are 18 Opposition parties in Assam who have jointly filed a police complaint against the Chief Minister. Since the Lok Sabha poll results, the Assam Chief Minister s trying to create communal riots and making sensitive statements even inside the assembly. We will also write to the President,” Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah said.

Mr Sarma made the comment in the assembly when the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon and the state’s law and order issue came up for discussion. The situation in Sivasagar district over alleged targeting of Bengali-speaking Muslims from Lower Assam was also raised.

When the Opposition charged him with being partisan, Mr Sarma said, “I will take sides. What can you do about it?” Amid the heated exchange, AIUDF MLA Rafikul Islam said people from Lower Assam would go to Upper Assam districts as it was their right, referring to a diktat by some organisations asking them to leave immediately.

“Why will people from Lower Assam go to Upper Assam? So that Miya Muslims can take over Assam? We won’t let it happen,” the Chief Minister said.

On Wednesday, Mr Sarma said he only repeated the same paragraph that former Governor SK Sinha had said.

“I have reiterated the same paragraphs that late Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi, the first Chief Minister of Assam, had said in the assembly. Former Chief Minister Bishnuram Medhi had also said it. I neither added nor modified it. If they want to file FIR (first information report), they have to file it against everybody. I pity them,” Mr Sarma said.