When a Rifle Becomes Rhetoric: Assam’s Deepening Political Divide
On 7 February 2026, a video posted on the official X handle of the Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) triggered widespread outrage and sharp political reactions. The clip showed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mimicking the act of firing a rifle at framed images of Muslim men, accompanied by captions such as “point-blank shot,” “No mercy,” and references to a “foreigner-free Assam.” The post was later deleted following backlash, but not before it ignited a heated national debate.
Opposition leaders and civil society groups described the imagery as inflammatory and dangerous, arguing that it appeared to target Muslims—particularly Bengali-speaking “Miya” Muslims, whom Sarma has frequently accused of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Critics said the combination of real footage and edited visual effects depicting bullet impacts risked dehumanizing a community and normalizing hostile rhetoric in mainstream politics.
The Congress party condemned the video as deeply irresponsible, with senior leaders K.C. Venugopal and Supriya Shrinate calling for judicial scrutiny. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi filed a police complaint in Hyderabad on February 9, seeking criminal action over what he termed “genocidal hate speech.” As of the latest reports, there has been public debate over whether an FIR has been formally registered.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of longstanding tensions in Assam over citizenship, migration and land rights. Muslims make up roughly 34 percent of the state’s population, with Bengali-origin Muslims forming a significant segment. Since the BJP came to power in Assam in 2016—and particularly after Sarma became chief minister in 2021—policies related to eviction drives, citizenship verification and alleged illegal immigration have drawn criticism from human rights organizations.
International watchdogs, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have raised concerns about detention practices, eviction operations and alleged excessive use of force. According to various reports, hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims have faced detention or deportation proceedings since 2025, with disputes arising over citizenship documentation. Nationwide, the citizenship verification process has also been criticized for procedural flaws that have left many individuals contesting their status.
Eviction drives have been a focal point of controversy. State authorities maintain that these operations target illegal encroachments on government land. However, rights groups argue that the actions have disproportionately affected Bengali-origin Muslims. Reports indicate that since 2016, tens of thousands of people have been displaced in eviction campaigns across several districts, with fresh demolitions reported in Sonitpur and Hailakandi earlier this year. Legal experts have debated whether due process and rehabilitation standards outlined by the Supreme Court have been consistently followed.
Communal tensions have also periodically escalated into violence. Incidents of mob lynching, police firing during protests, and clashes linked to allegations of cow slaughter or theft have been documented over the years, contributing to a climate of mistrust. While the government frames its actions as measures to safeguard national security and curb illegal immigration, critics argue that rhetoric and policy decisions risk stigmatizing an entire community.
Supporters of the state government insist that enforcement measures are aimed at undocumented migrants rather than any religious group. However, opponents contend that political messaging—such as the now-deleted video—blurs that distinction and fuels polarization.
The episode has renewed broader questions about the tone of political discourse, the limits of free expression by public officials, and the responsibility of governing parties in a diverse democracy. As debate continues, calls for accountability, clarity and restraint remain central to the unfolding controversy.
