Assam Congress MLA Rakibuddin Ahmed accuses BJP of targeting the Miya-Muslim community and manipulating electoral rolls, raising serious concerns over divisive politics, democratic integrity and voter list irregularities ahead of elections in Assam.
The Assam Congress on Tuesday launched a sharp political offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the ruling party of deliberately targeting the Miya-Muslim community and attempting to polarise voters ahead of elections through divisive narratives and alleged electoral manipulation.
Senior Congress legislator Rakibuddin Ahmed raised serious concerns over what he described as a sustained political strategy aimed at isolating and marginalising Miya-Muslims in Assam. Speaking to reporters at Goraimari in the Chamaria constituency, Ahmed warned that such politics posed a direct threat to the state’s long-standing tradition of social harmony and peaceful coexistence.
Ahmed said Assam has historically been a land where people from diverse ethnic, religious and linguistic backgrounds have lived together peacefully. Any attempt to single out a particular community for political gain, he argued, would only weaken the social fabric and fuel mistrust among citizens.
Taking strong exception to attempts to link language with nationality, the Congress MLA rejected claims that equate Bengali-speaking populations with foreign origin. He termed such assertions as baseless and misleading, stating that language cannot and should not be used as a criterion to brand any citizen an outsider.
Ahmed pointed out that Bengali is widely spoken across several Indian states, including West Bengal and Tripura, as well as in multiple regions of Assam such as Hojai. He emphasised that linguistic diversity is a constitutional reality of India and equating language with nationality violates both democratic values and constitutional principles.
Accusing the BJP of intentionally fostering divisions along religious, caste and community lines, Ahmed said such strategies are aimed solely at electoral advantage. He asserted that the Congress has never practiced politics of exclusion and continues to stand for unity, inclusiveness and democratic ethics.
“Politics driven by suspicion and communal targeting only damages democracy and weakens social cohesion,” Ahmed said, adding that fear-based narratives erode trust between communities and institutions.
The Congress MLA also drew attention to a controversial incident at the Boko–Chaygaon Co-District Commissioner’s office, allegedly taking place on the night of January 22, which later came to public attention. According to Ahmed, the incident raised serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process in the region.
He alleged that leaders associated with the BJP were involved in the addition and deletion of names from electoral rolls, calling it a grave violation of democratic norms. Ahmed said any interference with voter lists undermines the credibility of free and fair elections and threatens the foundation of democracy.
Linking the episode to broader concerns over electoral transparency, Ahmed said the incident reinforced earlier allegations raised by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding vote manipulation and institutional misuse. He warned that such practices could severely erode public confidence in the electoral system if not addressed promptly.
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The Congress, he said, has formally approached the Election Commission of India, demanding a comprehensive, impartial and transparent inquiry into the matter. The party has urged the poll body to take strict action against anyone found guilty of tampering with electoral rolls or influencing the democratic process.
Ahmed made it clear that the Congress would continue to pursue the issue at all levels and would not remain silent in the face of any attempt to undermine democracy through unfair or illegal means. He reiterated the party’s commitment to protecting constitutional values, safeguarding minority rights and ensuring free, fair and credible elections in Assam.
