Guwahati (Assam), 25 August (HS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly criticised activist and former Planning Commission member Syeda Saiyidain Hameed for her recent remarks suggesting that Bangladeshis should have the right to reside in Assam.

In a fiery statement, Sarma alleged that “people like Syeda Hameed, a close confidant of the Gandhi family, legitimise illegal infiltrators, as they seek to realise Jinnah’s dream of making Assam a part of Pakistan.” He accused Hameed of undermining the sacrifices of the Assamese people and warned that such views threaten the state’s cultural and demographic identity.

The Chief Minister asserted that Assamese society stands at a critical juncture. “Today, Assamese identity is on the brink of extinction because of the tacit support of people like her. But we are the sons and daughters of Lachit Barphukan, we will fight till the last drop of our blood to save our state and our identity,” he declared.

Reiterating his government’s uncompromising stance against illegal immigration, Sarma said, “Bangladeshis are not welcome in Assam, it is not their land. Anyone sympathising with them may accommodate them in their own backyards. Assam is not up for grabs by illegal infiltrators, not now, not ever.”

The remarks come amid ongoing eviction drives and intensified actions against illegal migrants across Assam. Sarma’s statement also reflects the larger political discourse in the state, where the issue of illegal infiltration from Bangladesh has remained a deeply sensitive and polarising subject for decades.

Syeda Hameed’s comments during her recent visit to Assam had sparked sharp reactions from various quarters, with critics accusing her of dismissing long-standing concerns of the indigenous Assamese population. The CM’s strong words now signal that the state government intends to pursue an even tougher line on the matter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash