The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board has strongly condemned the recent “anti-Muslim and deeply divisive statements” made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Board has urged the Supreme Court of India to take immediate suo motu cognisance of this grave matter. In a statement, the Board’s spokesperson, Dr. S. Q. R. Ilyas, said that hate speech and open incitement against Muslims are fast becoming normalized in the political discourse of the ruling party. “What was once limited to fringe voices is now being echoed by those occupying the highest constitutional offices. The Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and now Assam have repeatedly made inflammatory and unconstitutional remarks targeting Muslims. The Assam Chief Minister, while addressing a government function in Tinsukia, reportedly called for the harassment of the ‘Miyan’ community so that they are forced to leave Assam. He is also reported to have said that causing hardship to this community was his responsibility,” the statement said.
Additionally, he publicly encouraged people to file Form No. 7 to remove 4-5 lakh Muslims from the voter rolls and called for their economic boycott, it added. Dr. Ilyas said it is shocking and unacceptable that a Chief Minister, who has sworn to uphold the Constitution, is seen openly advocating discrimination, harassment, and disenfranchisement of a particular community. He said that such statements strike at the very foundation of constitutional governance, the rule of law, and the principle of equality before law. If constitutional authorities like the Election Commission fail to resist such unlawful pressure, the credibility of free and fair elections itself will be in jeopardy, he stated. The Board has also appealed to the President of India to take appropriate constitutional action against the Assam Chief Minister for these dangerous and unconstitutional remarks, and the Chief Justice of India has been urged to intervene without delay. “Failure to act firmly and swiftly may embolden further hate speech and create conditions of social unrest and lawlessness,” the statement maintained. The Board called upon all secular political parties, civil society groups, and justice-loving citizens to take serious note of this open call for discrimination and stand united in defense of constitutional values. At the same time, the Board appealed to the Muslims of Assam to remain calm and respond to these provocations strictly through constitutional and legal means.
