Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was invited as a guest at the ‘Media Mahamanthan’ event, organized to commemorate 75 years of Organiser and Panchjanya on Sunday, May 22. During the event, he spoke on an array of issues, ranging from madrasas to changing demographics in Assam.

Addressing the issue of madrasas, the Assam Chief Minister said, “All madrasas should become non-existent. As long as they remain in the public consciousness, Muslim children can never become doctors and engineers. If you seek the opinion of such children and give them the liberty to choose between a normal school and madrasa, then none would choose madrasa.”

“Getting children enrolled in madrasa is akin to violating human rights, given that their door to a prosperous career gets shut. I don’t have a problem with Islamic studies or teachings of the Quran but the focus must remain on the teaching of Science, Maths, and Biology,” Sarma added.

The Assam CM further said, “As such, madrasas should become non-existent. There should be a prevalence of normal education. You can teach religion at home, if necessary for 2-3 hours. Keep schooling mainstream such that the Muslim children can become doctors, engineers, and scientists.”

“When I talk about shutting down madrasas, I am not doing it for the welfare of Hindus but for Muslims. Similarly, when we talk about Uniform Civil Code (UCC), we are not doing it for the Hindus, it doesn’t apply to them. But, it applies to the practitioners of Islam,” he pointed out.

Himanta Biswa Sarma further emphasized that none could be a bigger friend to Muslims than those who advocate bringing in UCC and shutting down schools imparting Islamic education. “We are the greatest fans of Indian Muslims. People like Owaisi should be regarded as enemies of Indian Muslims,” the Assam Chief Minister had said.

Congress and Dynasty politics

During the program, Himanta Biswa Sarma was quizzed about his experience while working with both the BJP and the Congress. In response, the Assam CM recounted his experience of working for Congress for 22 years by stating, “There is nothing beyond the Gandhi family in the Congress. The party members put out statements in the public domain that if you defy the Gandhis, then you have defied the nation. Within the Congress party, the Gandhi family is equivalent to the nation.”

He further pointed out how the nation is above electoral politics in the BJP. “In my party, individuals and leaders come second to the nation. If you say the same to the Gandhi family, then, your job will be terminated.”

The firebrand BJP leader also hit out at Congress scion Rahul Gandhi for limiting the idea of nationhood to a ‘Union of States.’ He asked, “If India is merely a Union of States, where does our 5000-year-old history fit in? Rahul Gandhi is making it sound like a contract of States with the Centre.”

He lambasted the Congress leader for encouraging secessionism in the country. “He is saying that States negotiated to be a part of India. It is like giving them an option to re-negotiate and go about their own way,” Sarma said.

The Assam CM added, “I don’t blame Rahul Gandhi. He must be tutored by his advisors, who graduated from JNU.”

Assam history and debate on Hindi

During the ‘Media Mahamanthan’ event, Himanta Biswa Sarma also pointed out how most Indians are oblivious to the legacy of military commander Lachit Borphukan. “Assam resisted Islamic invasions 17 times. We did not let any Khilji or Aurangzeb expand (their empire) up to our land. People in the rest of the country must know this history,” he emphasized.

He also shared that the Assam government will commemorate the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan this year.

On being asked about the ‘linguistic debate’ that rages in the country from time to time, the Assam CM said, ” I do not think that this is a big issue. The National Education Policy (NEP) recognizes the significance of mother tongue and emphasizes education in the same language.”

The Assam Chief Minister opined that if an Assamese boy has to work in a factory in Uttar Pradesh, then learning Hindi will be useful in such a case. “Read and study in your mother tongue and if you learn Hindi for the sake of employment, then I do not see a problem in it,” he concluded.

Changing Demographics of Assam

During the event, Sarma also highlighted the dangers of demographic change in India. “In Assam, Bhartiya people are in minority, illegal immigrants are in majority and it is our duty to bring Bhartiya people in the majority,” he stated.

The Assam CM pointed out that the arson attack at the Batadrava police station by a frenzied mob was the fallout of the demographic change in Assam. “Whatever response was required, we gave it overnight. I don’t think that they will dare to do it again.”

It must be mentioned that on Sunday (May 22), the houses of 5 such rioters were razed down by the Nagaon administration in the Salonbari village of Assam.

The Assam Chief Minister also informed that about 6000 hectares have been freed by the BJP-led government from illegal encroachment. He further shared that about 1-1.5 lakh hectares of land are still under illegal occupation.

CM Sarma said that 16 Vidhan Sabha constituencies in the state are the prime hotspots of encroachers, out of which 4 have been freed. “Our immediate objective is to stop illegal land encroachment, to not lose more constituency in Assam,” he said.

He informed that Assam has a 36% Muslim population, which can be divided into 3 categories: Indigenous Muslims, converted Muslims, and Miya Muslims (immigrant Bengali Muslims).

References:

opindia.com