Amid spiralling prices of vegetables in Guwahati, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma blamed ‘Miyas’ for the high prices, triggering sharp reactions from opposition political parties.
The Assam CM, speaking about high prices of vegetables, had said, “Vegetables are not priced so high in villages. Here the Miya vendors charge us more. Had it been Assamese vendors selling vegetables, they wouldn’t have fleeced their own people.”
“I will clear all the footpaths of Guwahati and I urge our Assamese people to come forward and start their businesses,” he added.
Reacting to his remarks, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president and perfume Baron Badruddin Ajmal said that the Miya community, referring to the Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, have been ‘hurt’ by the CM’s comment, and such words are unbecoming of a Chief Minister, who heads a state. He said that the community have been “hurt and offended” by his statements.
“This is creating a communal divide. If it triggers any incident, the government and Himanta Biswa Sarma will be responsible for it,” the Lok Sabha MP added.
Meanwhile, the Congress alleged that both the BJP and the AIUDF are trying to create a ‘Miya-Assamese’ rift in the society, as Lok Sabha elections are nearing.
“As elections are coming closer, both of them want to divide the people along religious lines. BJP has failed to address core issues like unemployment, price rise, illegal migrants, etc. and to divert attention, they are indulging in such tactics.”
Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi also claimed that such communal statements by Sarma was a ploy to take away people’s attention from important issues.
“There are three main reasons for such communal politics. The BJP wants to divert attention from the draft delimitation proposal as the opposition has been able to lay bare before the people that the document doesn’t espouses the cause of the indigenous people.
“It also wants to sail through the elections through religious polarisation as it had failed to deliver on its promises. And also, to hide rift within old and new BJP members,” the Sivasagar legislator added, as quoted by PTI.