Congress Alleges “Shameful Betrayal of Assam,” Questions Citizenship of BJP MLA Vijay Malakar

Launching a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress MLA from Barkhetri, Diganta Barman, on Friday alleged that the BJP-led government in Assam is surviving with the support of a “Bangladeshi MLA,” calling it a matter of “deep shame for the Assamese community.”

Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati, Barman said the Chief Minister was “lost in the dreams of unfamiliar people” and must answer how a person allegedly not holding Indian citizenship was allowed to contest elections as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate and become an MLA—twice.

“How did a Bangladeshi individual contest elections on a BJP ticket and get elected as an MLA? This question must be answered by the State Government and the Election Commission of India (ECI),” Barman said.

Citizenship Allegations and Court Intervention

Barman referred to widespread national discussions on “vote theft” and said serious questions had now emerged regarding the citizenship of Ratabari MLA Vijay Malakar. He stated that two individuals—Brajgopal Sinha and Vijay Kumar Kanu—have filed writ petitions in the Gauhati High Court alleging that Malakar is not an Indian citizen.

“In response, Justice Kardik Eke has issued notices to the State Government and the Election Commission of India,” Barman said.

Clarifying the Congress position, he added, “There is no objection to voting rights for those who came to Assam before March 25, 1971, as settled under the Assam Accord. But how did those who arrived after March 25 acquire voting rights? This individual has become an MLA twice, and reports suggest his name appears on voter lists at two different locations. How is this legally possible?”

He demanded an immediate and transparent explanation from the Central Government, the Assam Government and the Election Commission.

Allegations of Voter Suppression

Raising the issue of the ongoing voter list revision, Barman accused the administration of targeted deletion of voters.

“BLOs and supervisors are marking people as ‘doubtful voters’ and deleting names arbitrarily. People may not always be at home, but using this as a pretext to remove names selectively is a calculated move,” he alleged.

Drawing parallels with Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on vote theft, Barman said, “They believe they can win elections only by deleting the names of Congress supporters from the voter lists.”

Assam Accord and Refugee Data

Referring to his visit to Bangladesh, Barman cited historical records from the museum at Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birthplace.

“In 1971, there were 3,12,713 refugees housed in 28 camps in Assam. Those who came after March 25, 1971, remained foreigners. In such circumstances, allowing a person like Vijay Malakar to become an MLA is an unfortunate and dangerous precedent,” he said.

Loss of Faith in the Election Commission

Expressing dissatisfaction with the Election Commission of India, Barman said Congress objections were ignored even during constituency delimitation.

“Some constituencies were designed with populations of 30–35 lakh, while others have only 12–15 lakh people—purely to benefit the BJP. Our faith in the Election Commission has steadily eroded,” he said.

BJP Ticket, CAA, and Contradictions

Speaking at the press conference, Assam Pradesh Congress Media and Communication Department member Bedabrat Bora questioned the BJP’s role in fielding Vijay Malakar as a candidate.

“Vijay Malakar reportedly came to India with his family after March 25, 1971. How did the BJP give such a person a ticket? This is a massive question,” Bora said, adding that the Gauhati High Court has sought a reply within four weeks.

Bora also pointed to contradictions in the BJP’s narrative on illegal immigration.

“In 2014, the Prime Minister said not a single Bangladeshi would remain in India after May 16. Now they want to run the Assam government through a Bangladeshi MLA? The CAA was implemented in 2024, but Vijay Malakar became an MLA in 2021. The BJP must explain this to the people of Assam,” he said.

Alleged Police Harassment of Congress Leaders

Bora further alleged intimidation of Congress spokespersons by the Assam Police.

“Police personnel are stationed outside the residence of Pradesh Congress spokesperson Ritam Singh, preventing him from stepping out. A social media worker has also been arrested. Whenever the government is criticised, Congress spokespersons are harassed,” he alleged.

“We condemn these actions, warn the Assam Police against acting under political instructions, and demand an investigation into who is directing these acts,” Bora added.

Congress spokesperson Konkan Das was also present at the press conference.

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