Guwahati: In a fiery response to activist Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that his state would resist illegal infiltration “till the last drop of our blood.” The Chief Minister’s strong words came after Hameed, a former Planning Commission member and a known associate of the Gandhi family, made controversial remarks during a recent visit to Assam, suggesting that Bangladeshi immigrants have a right to live in the state.
Taking to social media, Sarma tweeted, “People like Syeda Hameed, a close confidant of the Gandhi family legitimise illegal infiltrators, as they seek to realise Jinnah’s dream of making Assam a part of Pakistan.” He went on to say that the Assamese identity was on the “brink of extinction” due to the “tacit support” of people like her. The controversy stems from Hameed’s statements made during an assessment tour to evaluate the situation concerning citizenship, evictions, and the treatment of Muslims in Assam. Hameed had reportedly said, “What is wrong if they are Bangladeshis? Bangladeshis are also humans. Earth is so large; Bangladeshis can live here,” adding that “Allah has made this earth for humans, not for devils.”
Sarma’s resolute response also drew upon Assam’s rich history of resistance, specifically mentioning the 17th-century Ahom general Lachit Barphukan. He declared, “We are the sons and daughters of Lachit Barphukan, WE WILL FIGHT till the last drop of our blood to save our State and our identity.” He made his stance on illegal immigration absolutely clear: “Let me make it very clear, Bangladeshis are not welcome in Assam, it is not their land. Anyone sympathising with them may accommodate them in their own backyards. Assam is not up for grabs by illegal infiltrators, NOT NOW, NOT EVER.”
Hameed was part of a delegation that included prominent figures like lawyer Prashant Bhushan, activist Harsh Mander, and former Rajya Sabha MP Jawahar Sircar. The group accused the Assam government of targeting Muslims by falsely labelling them as Bangladeshis and claimed that Indian Muslims were being unlawfully forced out of the state. Bhushan alleged that the state government was “engaged in unlawful and illegal activities, including pushing out Indian citizens to Bangladesh, evicting people from their land, and demolishing homes.” The delegation’s visit was organised by Asom Nagarik Sanmilan, a local civil society forum, but they reported facing restrictions, particularly while trying to access Goalpara district, where forest land evictions have reportedly occurred.
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