Who Is Being Protected, Who Is Being Evicted? Assam CM Faces Fire From Congress and AAMSU

Assam Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia on Tuesday launched a sharp and wide-ranging attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing the BJP-led Assam government of double standards, selective action in corruption cases, and misleading the people of the state.

His remarks come amid a growing political storm over alleged recruitment scams, ongoing eviction drives, and the controversy surrounding Rejaul Karim Sarkar.

Congress Slams CM Over Alleged Recruitment Corruption

Reacting to recent statements made by the Chief Minister, Saikia said BJP leaders had, prior to 2021, repeatedly alleged large-scale corruption in government recruitment processes in Assam.

“If corruption took place during the Chief Minister’s own tenure as a minister, then it means he tolerated corruption,” Saikia said.

He challenged the BJP to take concrete action against Congress leaders if they were indeed involved in corruption, as repeatedly claimed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders.

“If the Congress was corrupt, as the Prime Minister claims, why were Congress leaders not arrested after the BJP came to power? Instead, many were inducted into the BJP,” Saikia alleged.

Questioning the government’s selective approach, Saikia asked why candidates who allegedly paid ₹15 lakh for government jobs were neither dismissed nor arrested.

“The Chief Minister arrests those involved in ₹5 lakh bribery cases. Why has no one been arrested in the alleged ₹15 lakh recruitment scam?” he asked.

Unresolved Corruption Cases Raised by Debabrata Saikia

Highlighting what he described as the government’s failure to pursue key investigations, Saikia listed several unresolved cases:

• Alleged corruption in the Panchayat and Rural Development Department in 2019 was never investigated.

• The probe into the SI recruitment scam has shown little progress, with only a handful of arrests so far.

• There is no clarity on the investigation into the Indrani Tahbildarsuicide case, which allegedly involved BJP leaders.

Saikia also recalled that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma himself had publicly admitted that corruption took place during the Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government.

“Why has there been no probe if corruption did occur during that period?” Saikia asked.

Accusing the BJP of misleading the people of Assam, Saikia said the Congress had challenged the ruling party in its very first year of governance and continues to do so even after nearly a decade.

“If the Chief Minister claims good governance, he should publish a white paper detailing what he has done for the people,” he said.

He further alleged that Himanta Biswa Sarma “lies to the people of Assam every day” and asserted that the Congress would respond politically at the ballot box.

“Our election manifesto will promise investigations into every illegal act,” Saikia added.

Saikia Downplays Rejaul Karim Sarkar’s Importance

Addressing the controversy surrounding Rejaul Karim Sarkar, Saikia said there was no need to give him undue political importance.

“There is no need to give Rejaul Karim Sarkar so much importance. Who is he, and what has been his contribution to Assam?” Saikia asked.

He alleged that Sarkar was once close to the Chief Minister and hinted at political motives behind the ongoing controversy.

“Perhaps the Chief Minister no longer has useful agents within the Congress, which is why a new agent has been sent by him,” Saikia claimed.

Congress Distances Itself, CM Hits Back

Earlier, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi said Rejaul Karim Sarkar had apologised to the government for his controversial remarks and had been advised to exercise restraint while addressing public meetings.

According to Gogoi, Sarkar was attempting to articulate the idea of ‘Bor Axom’ (Greater Assam), but his comments ended up hurting public sentiment and triggering widespread resentment.

“He must be careful with his words in the future,” Gogoi said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a sharp counterattack, questioning Sarkar’s credentials.

“Was Sivasagar built by Rejaul Karim Sarkar’s father?” the Chief Minister said.

Sarma further asserted that Assam does not require a Bangladesh-origin individual to build a “Greater Assam,” outrightly rejecting Sarkar’s remarks.

AAMSU Attacks Assam Government Over Eviction Drives

Against the backdrop of these political developments, the All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) stepped up its criticism of the Assam government, accusing it of carrying out ‘dramatic and selective eviction drives’ statewide.

Addressing a press conference and later speaking at AAMSU’s general meeting at Silpagram on Monday, AAMSU president Md Imtiaz Hussain accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of following a double-faced policy and politicising minority issues.

Hussain said eviction operations in Assam had turned “theatrical,” while the Chief Minister remained vocal only on the issues of “illegal Bangladeshis and Pakistanis.”

“Beyond the Bangladesh-Pakistan narrative, the Chief Minister has nothing else to say,” Hussain alleged.

AAMSU’s Stand on Evictions and Rehabilitation

Clarifying AAMSU’s position, Hussain said the organisation is not opposed to evictions if land is genuinely required by the government.

“If the government needs land, it should take it. But the evicted families must be rehabilitated immediately,” he said.

He demanded transparency from the Assam government and asked it to publicly disclose how many of those evicted had actually been identified as illegal Bangladeshi nationals.

“From the families evicted in Assam, how many Bangladeshis have been identified? The Chief Minister must make this public,” Hussain said.

Minority Politics and Allegations Against Political Parties

The AAMSU president accused all political parties in Assam of exploiting minorities for electoral gains.

“No political party in Assam treats minorities as its own people. Everyone looks at minorities through the lens of a stepmother,” he said.

He criticised parties such as AJP, Raijor Dal and AIUDF, alleging that they approach minority communities during elections but remain absent otherwise.

“Where were they during the past years?” Hussain asked.

Hussain further alleged that both the BJP and the Congress indulge in minority-centric politics.

“Just as the BJP uses minorities for political gain, the Congress does the same,” he said.

Rejecting BJP allegations, Hussain asserted that AAMSU is an apolitical organisation and not the “B-team” of the Congress.

“The allegations made by the BJP against AAMSU are false,” he said.

Explosive Allegations Against Rejaul Karim Sarkar by AAMSU

In a strong statement, Hussain accused Rejaul Karim Sarkar of acting as an agent of the Chief Minister.

“Rejaul Karim Sarkar is the Chief Minister’s agent. He is working as the BJP’s B-team,” Hussain alleged.

He further claimed that Sarkar stages protests in Delhi following eviction drives in Assam with financial backing from the BJP.

“Rejaul Karim Sarkar goes to Delhi to protest evictions after taking money from the BJP,” Hussain alleged.

According to Hussain, Sarkar’s statements after joining the Congress have only reinforced suspicions about his proximity to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“His statements after joining the Congress prove that he is a man of the Chief Minister,” he claimed.

AAMSU Accuses CM of Double Standards

Accusing the Chief Minister of hypocrisy, Hussain said there was a clear mismatch between Sarma’s words and actions.

“The Chief Minister must abandon his double standards. There is no alignment between what he says and what he does,” he said.

Questioning selective targeting by the BJP, Hussain asked whether certain Muslim leaders close to the ruling party were being spared scrutiny.

“If the Chief Minister is boycotting ‘Miyas’, then is Habib Mohammad Choudhury not a Miya? Is Khalilur Rahman, who is close to Jayanta Mallabaruah, not a Miya?” he asked.

He further alleged that without invoking issues related to Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, or Muslims, the BJP would not be able to speak for even half an hour.

“If these three topics are taken away, the BJP has nothing left to say,” Hussain claimed.

Call to Boycott BJP Ahead of Elections

At the Silpagram general meeting, AAMSU appealed to the people of Assam to boycott the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections, accusing the ruling party of deceiving the public and using eviction drives as a political weapon.

“The BJP has betrayed the people of Assam,” Hussain said, reiterating AAMSU’s challenge to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to present verified data on the alleged identification of illegal foreigners among the evicted families.

Also Read: Former AAMSU President Rejaul Karim Sarkar joins Congress, vows to fight fear and rebuild Assam