Owaisi Slams Assam CM Over Remarks on Bengali-Origin Muslims

AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi strongly criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during a public rally in Nizamabad on Friday, accusing him of repeatedly making hateful and discriminatory remarks against Bengali-origin Muslims in Assam, often referred to as “Miya” Muslims.

Addressing the gathering, Owaisi said that politics based on fear, prejudice, and communal division cannot sustain a democratic government. He stressed that the Indian Constitution guarantees equality to all citizens, regardless of religion or community, and that no individual—even a chief minister—is above these constitutional values.

Owaisi referred to several controversial statements attributed to Sarma, including remarks allegedly blaming “Miya Muslims” for rising vegetable prices and telling people to “go to Bangladesh.” He also highlighted a reported comment in which Sarma urged people to underpay Muslim auto-rickshaw drivers by giving ₹4 instead of the actual fare of ₹5.

Questioning the dignity of such remarks, Owaisi said it was shameful for a constitutional authority to encourage petty discrimination. He pointed out that Bengali-origin Muslims in Assam are Indian citizens whose ancestors were brought to the region by the British nearly 150 to 200 years ago, and that they earn their living through honest work.

Using sharp sarcasm, Owaisi mocked the Assam chief minister by offering him “two rupees” as alms. He said that while the ruling BJP talks about making India a global superpower, the third-largest economy in the world, and even dreaming of building homes on the moon, its leaders hesitate to pay “one rupee” fairly to an auto-rickshaw driver.

Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam have long faced social and economic marginalisation and are frequently portrayed as outsiders or illegal immigrants. Sarma’s past remarks, including statements about making “Miya people suffer” during electoral roll revisions and calls that appeared to encourage harassment, have drawn criticism from civil rights groups and opposition leaders.

The controversy has also reached legal forums. Social activist Harsh Mander has filed a police complaint in Delhi, accusing Sarma of hate speech that threatens constitutional values and minority rights. Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has approached the Supreme Court, arguing that the chief minister’s statements are communal in nature and unconstitutional.

The issue has once again raised concerns over the use of divisive rhetoric by those holding high public office and its impact on social harmony and constitutional principles.