Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday defended his recent remarks on the term “Miyan,” saying his position is based on observations made by the Supreme Court of India and not driven by political rhetoric or communal bias.
In a post on X, Sarma said critics of his comments should refer to what the apex court has stated in the past regarding Assam and the issue of illegal migration. He clarified that the term is used in Assam in the context of Bangladeshi Muslim illegal migration and asserted that his remarks were in line with concerns previously expressed by the judiciary.
Quoting from Supreme Court observations, Sarma referred to the court’s warning about what it described as a “silent and invidious demographic invasion of Assam.” He said the court had cautioned that unchecked illegal migration could result in the loss of geostrategically important districts of lower Assam.
According to the Chief Minister, the court had observed that a continuous influx of illegal migrants could alter the demographic balance in certain districts, potentially leading to demands for their merger with Bangladesh. Such a development, he said, could isolate the Northeast from the rest of India and pose risks to the country’s territorial integrity and natural resources.
Sarma argued that when the country’s highest constitutional court uses expressions such as “demographic invasion” and warns of threats to national unity, acknowledging those concerns should not be branded as hatred, communalism, or an attack on any particular community. He maintained that illegal migration is a long-standing and serious issue that Assam has grappled with for decades.
The Chief Minister further stressed that the state government’s actions are not aimed at any religion or Indian citizens. Instead, he said, the focus is on protecting Assam’s identity, security and future, in line with judicial observations. Ignoring such warnings, he added, would amount to a greater injustice to both Assam and the nation.