Assam Government Fueling Fear and Division

Yasmin Farooqui, National General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India condemns the violent actions of vigilante groups targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims in Upper Assam, particularly in Sivasagar, where families have been issued 48-hour ultimatums to abandon their homes and livelihoods. These attacks, orchestrated by the All Tai Ahom Students Union, Jatiya Sangrami Sena, and Bir Lachit Sena under the “miya kheda andolan,” constitute a direct and blatant violation of Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to live and work anywhere in the country.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Assam government is actively fueling fear and division. From proposing an online portal to arm so-called “indigenous” residents in “sensitive areas” to openly boasting that the Sivasagar vigilante campaign is occurring “with my patronage,” Sarma has effectively sanctioned mob intimidation. His rhetoric of a fabricated “demographic invasion,” coupled with eviction drives such as the August 7 displacement of 146 families from forest land in Golaghat, serves to criminalize Bengali-Muslims—many of whom are Indian citizens with deep historical roots in Assam—by branding them as “suspected Bangladeshis.”

Disturbing videos circulating on social media show vigilantes harassing residents, coercing them to chant “Jai aai Axom” or present identification papers. This is not spontaneous unrest but a calculated strategy to divide communities and sow fear in the run-up to the 2026 elections. The SDPI calls for an immediate investigation and prosecution of those responsible by the Assam Police, the suspension of the arms license policy to prevent further violence, and an independent inquiry by the National Human Rights Commission into these serious constitutional violations. We also demand that Chief Minister Sarma issue a public apology for his inflammatory rhetoric and commit to upholding constitutional principles.

The SDPI stands in unwavering solidarity with the affected communities and urges all democratic forces to resist this dangerous assault on India’s pluralistic values. We will continue to fight for justice, equality, and the protection of every citizen’s fundamental rights.