New Delhi- All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA and party general secretary Rafiqul Islam has sharply criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s Independence Day address, terming it “unfortunate” and “hate-driven propaganda” aimed at polarising communities. Speaking to IANS in Guwahati on Saturday, Islam said that instead of highlighting the contributions of freedom fighters, listing achievements over the past five years, and outlining future plans, the Chief Minister “chose to instil fear” by alleging that “unknown people” could become Chief Minister of Assam in the future.

“PM Modi at the Red Fort and Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati were saying the same thing - spreading fear about ‘illegal intruders’. This is false propaganda. Congress was in power in Assam for 53 years, Tarun Gogoi was CM for 15 years, and he never gave land to any landless Muslim. Even those with 150–200-year-old records of being Indian citizens were made doubtful voters, both during BJP and Congress rule,” he alleged.

Islam accused Sarma of deliberately portraying that if Congress came to power, it would grant land to Muslims. “BJP and Congress are equal in this regard. The CM is simply scaring people,” he said, adding that a Muslim becoming CM of Assam is constitutionally possible but “not the issue.” “The priority should be unity, employment for all - Hindus, tribals, Muslims - and an end to polarisation,” Islam said. On infiltration, the AIUDF leader said, “The BJP has ruled Assam for years, PM Modi has been in power for 12 years, Amit Shah is Home Minister, and the BSF is under their control. If infiltration is happening from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal or elsewhere, why is it not stopped? Instead, the CM claims lakhs of intruders have changed the state’s demography. This is shameful.”

Islam also pointed out that despite Assam’s Muslim population being around 35 per cent - nearly 1.2 crore people - the state has no Muslim ministers in the cabinet, no Muslim MLAs from the BJP, and no Muslim SPs in any of the 34 districts. “Many IAS and IPS officers are Muslim, yet they are kept away from key posts. The CM is misleading people,” he claimed. Reacting to Sarma’s remark that “illegal people” had entered medical colleges, Islam said, “On one hand, they defame Muslims for not educating their children; on the other, they vilify those pursuing education. Yes, there are issues like higher population growth and child, but we are bringing in reforms.”(IANS)