GUWAHATI: Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has sharply criticized the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), accusing them of leveraging the Muslim community solely for electoral advantages. Sarma's remarks shed light on the complexities of electoral politics in the state, particularly regarding the relationship between political parties and the Muslim electorate.
In a recent statement, Chief Minister Sarma asserted, "Till now, Muslims in Assam have been voting for Congress or AIUDF out of fear, and the connection between Muslims and these parties appears to be solely driven by electoral considerations, with little to no follow-up engagement."
Sarma further emphasized that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has undertaken the responsibility to improve the lives of indigenous Muslims within the state. He highlighted the state government's efforts to combat issues like child marriages and promote reforms in madrassa education among the non-indigenous Muslim population. "We are working as benefactors for the non-indigenous Muslim community, providing them with services like Orunodoi and health cards, even though we may not secure their votes. However, when it comes to indigenous Muslims, we recognize that we must cater to their needs as well."
The Chief Minister also alluded to the intricacies of electoral politics, explaining, "If we focus on developmental work in the Dibrugarh constituency, we acknowledge that it might influence voters, but when we undertake similar initiatives in Chenga Baghbar, we don't necessarily expect immediate political support. However, it remains a crucial area for us, irrespective of the electoral outcomes." Sarma's comments reflect the nuanced approach of political parties when addressing the diverse needs and expectations of Assam's Muslim community in the context of elections.
Earlier, he also criticized the Congress party and raised questions about their priorities during his speech in Chhattisgarh. He remarked that for the Chhattisgarh Congress, historical figures like Akbar appear to hold more significance than their own leaders. Sarma commented, "Congress complained against me when I spoke about Akbar. It would have made sense to file a complaint if I had spoken something against TS Singh Deo or Baghel or any Congress leader. I think, for the Chhattisgarh Congress, Akbar is more important than Bhupesh Baghel. Why is Akbar so dear to you (Congress)?"
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