Himanta’s ‘Miya Muslim’ comment: Pure venom, actionable, says Sibal

BJP leader and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, known for his incendiary statements against Muslims, has once again ignited controversy by asserting that he will not allow Assam to become a Muslim-majority state.

Sarma's remarks have drawn widespread condemnation from Opposition parties and the legal community, with the Congress accusing him of fanning communal flames for political gain.

Supreme court lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said Sarma's comments are "actionable", and silence is not an answer to this kind of "communal politics".

During a state Assembly session on 27 August, Sarma made the controversial statement after Opposition parties moved an adjournment motion to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in Assam, particularly in the wake of the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon.

Instead of addressing the pressing issue, Sarma shifted the focus to his long-standing communal agenda, stating, "I will take sides. I will not let Assam become a 'land of the miyas'."

The term miya is often used pejoratively to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims, who have been historically marginalised in Assam. In recent years, however, members of the community have reclaimed the term as an act of defiance against such discrimination.

Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi was among the first to criticise Sarma, accusing him of resorting to divisive rhetoric whenever he finds himself on the defensive. "Whenever the chief minister is on the back foot, he tries to divide society. But the people of Assam are smarter than him. They will not fall for his divisive rhetoric. They know he has failed as a chief minister. Assamese people will remain united and vote out his arrogant government in 2026," Gogoi said in an X post.

In his own X post, Sibal called Sarma's statement "pure communal venom", insisting that silence in the face of such statements is not an option. "Himanta (Assam CM): 'Will take sides. Will not let Miya Muslims take over all of Assam'. My take: Pure communal venom. Actionable. Silence not an answer," Sibal wrote.

Sarma's latest comments are part of a broader pattern of communal rhetoric that has characterised his political career.

Since assuming office as chief minister in May 2021, Sarma has repeatedly made statements that have been criticised as inflammatory and divisive. In the past, he has described Muslims as a threat to Assam's culture and identity, and has made sweeping accusations against the community, linking them to illegal immigration and demographic change.

One of his most controversial statements came in 2021, when he claimed that the concept of "love jihad” — a conspiracy theory alleging that Muslim men seek to convert Hindu women through marriage — was real and posed a threat to Hindu society.

He has also called for the eviction of what he terms "illegal settlers", a euphemism often used to target Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state. Sarma's rhetoric has been criticised for exacerbating communal tensions in Assam, a state with a complex ethnic and religious history. His statements are often seen by political watchers as a strategy to consolidate Hindu votes by stoking fears of demographic change.

As Assam moves towards the 2026 elections, Sarma’s divisive statements are likely to remain a focal point in the state's political discourse. While his comments may resonate with certain segments of the electorate, they also risk deepening communal divides in a state already fraught with tension. The Opposition, meanwhile, is banking on the resilience of Assamese voters to reject what they see as Sarma’s polarising tactics.