‘Hindus Don’t Indulge In Communalism, Only One Community, One Religion Does’: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: “Members of the Bangladesh-origin minority community (read Muslims) overwhelmingly voted for the Congress in this Lok Sabha election, without considering the developmental work done for them by the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the state,” claimed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday adding that it (Muslim) is the only community in Assam which indulges in communalism.

At a felicitation program for the victorious BJP candidates and their allies in Guwahati, Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the ruling coalition secured close to 47 percent of the total votes, whereas the Congress and its allies received 39 percent. In the state, the coalition of BJP, AGP, and UPPL secured 11 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats, while Congress claimed the other three.

“If we analyse the 39 per cent votes of the Congress, it is not spread across the state. Fifty per cent of it is concentrated in 21 assembly segments which are minority dominated. In these minority-dominated segments, BJP got 3 per cent votes,” he claimed.

“This proves that Hindus do not indulge in communalism. If anyone indulges in communalism in Assam, it is only one community, one religion. No other religion does it,” said Sarma without naming any faction.

He mentioned that areas dominated by minorities might lack roads or electricity, yet they consistently vote for Congress, as evidenced again recently. Conversely, despite the BJP’s efforts for the Assamese people and tribal communities, these groups have not given unanimous support to the party.

“Except in Karimganj, if we consider the centres with majority Bangladesh-origin people, 99 per cent of votes have gone to Congress,” he said.

“They (minority people) may be residing in houses given by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, availing electricity and sanitation facilities provided by Modi, but when they go to vote, they vote for Congress,” Sarma claimed.

He asserted that the community of Bangladesh-origin will cast their votes for Congress with the aim to “govern the state over the next decade.” Sarma accused the community members of assaulting a police station in Lakhimpur, causing disturbances in a Barpeta village, and attempting land encroachment in Kokrajhar during the period when the BJP government was “inactive” due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

“When BJP government will not be there, one can only imagine how many such attacks will happen,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)