The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has issued a strong condemnation of the remarks made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, which they describe as “anti-Muslim and deeply divisive.” They have called on the Supreme Court of India to take immediate suo motu cognizance of this serious issue. Spokesperson Dr. S. Q. R. Ilyas expressed concern that hate speech and incitement against Muslims are becoming normalized within the political rhetoric of the ruling party, pointing out that inflammatory comments have come from multiple Chief Ministers, including those of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, as well as Sarma.
In a recent government event in Tinsukia, Sarma reportedly encouraged the harassment of the ‘Miyan’ community, implying it was his duty to create hardships for them in hopes they would leave Assam. He advocated for potential disenfranchisement by promoting the filing of Form No. 7 to displace around 400,000 Muslims from the electoral rolls and called for an economic boycott against them.
Dr. Ilyas criticized such stances as shocking and unacceptable, asserting that a Chief Minister should uphold the Constitution rather than promote discrimination and harassment. He emphasized that such actions threaten the core principles of constitutional governance, rule of law, and legal equality. He warned that if electoral authorities like the Election Commission do not resist these unconstitutional pressures, it could undermine the integrity of free and fair elections in India.
The Board has appealed to the President of India for constitutional action against Sarma and urged the Chief Justice of India to intervene immediately. They cautioned that failure to respond decisively could enable further hate speech and foster social unrest. Furthermore, they have called on secular political parties, civil society, and concerned citizens to join in defending constitutional values and have advised the Muslim community in Assam to remain calm and respond to provocations through constitutional and legal avenues.
