How Bangladesh crisis has come as a God-sent mega political opportunity for Himanta Biswa Sarma ?
It's like redefining the good old Holy War. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma now calls it a 'civilizational battle'.
"To them (people in Bangladesh); ... is the country bigger or is religion?
Religion is bigger to them … Today, when we see Dipu Das’s condition in Bangladesh, then everyone is clearly able to see what situation the Assamese will have to face 20 years later,” BJP's arguably the 'best known leader' in the north east has brought back the debate over 'existential crisis' of Assamese people and also all other Hindus back to the fore. This means a political master stroke on the eve of elections.
It also means perhaps the ongoing developments in Bangladesh will help the Lotus party sail home and in this summer the Congress party will have another 'excuse' to look for a possible disastrous performance - the problems of Dhaka.
It may appear like 'Vote chori (or even snatching)'. This issue will also mean possibly - Himanta has snatched the win from the jaws of defeat.
Himanta is playing all to the galleries and has far done it bravely in terms of taking a calculated risk.
“Someone can say that we can co-exist. But our religion embraces everyone. The recent incidents in Bangladesh tell us all clearly that they (people in Bangladesh) believe in exclusiveness…," Himanta said in presence of BJP's future national president Nitin Nabin.
Playing it near perfection .... he has given a major hint that the Lotus party should use the 'crisis and chaos in Bangladesh' to upset the Trinamool Congress applecart in West Bengal.
If Himanta strategies go down well in Assam; they have to work in West Bengal too and hence in all likelihood - the 'Muslim appeasing' Mamata Banerjee will have to find ways to prove her Hindu credentials and even display her Gotra and take to 'wheel chair' as she did it all in her desperation in 2021.
Chief Minister Himanta has framed the upcoming Assam election as a “civilisational fight” at the BJP Assam’s State Executive Meeting.
He waxed eloquently - “The BJP government’s goal is development, but existence is as important. Our politics is development, and along with that it is preserving the identity…
Today, if you look at our state, two civilisations will be seen in front of us. One civilisation is a 5,000-year-old civilisation.
A Sanatan civilisation which gives acceptance to all kinds of prayers… Our is an inclusive civilisation… But in our state, because of the Congress’s weakness and its appeasement politics, gradually another civilisation was created…
In the 2011 census, in Assam, the Hindu and Muslim breakup shows 34% Muslims. If we don’t consider 3% Assamese Muslims, Muslims from Bangladesh who have settled here at different times were 31%.
In every census, there is a 4% increase… In the 2027 Census, in Assam, Bangladeshi-origin Miya Muslims will be near 40%,” he said.
The polls are due in Assam along with West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala by March-April next year.
Nitin Nabin's presence added another dimension to the political strategies as lately Bihari Hindus are at a confrontation stage with native tribals in the Karbi Anglong region. Nitin is a sitting BJP legislator.
Key BJP leaders national Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda - in charge of Assam and also BJP general secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh also attended.
Sarma - of course - also spoke about developmental activities undertaken in the state during his tenure and the reach of the state government’s beneficiary schemes.
Himanta cleverly invoked the unrest in Bangladesh and the lynching of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das and has tried to give a mega spin to the electoral battle debates.
Till a few months back; Himanta was on defensive for multiple reasons. The state is rich in coal, oil and tea and yet there is an overwhelming number of unemployed people.
A few months back; he applied other tricks including quota issues for some tribal communities. He also released some old government reports that showed how Congress was responsible for several problems in the state and perhaps also the infamous massacre of Muslims in Nelly region in the 1980s.
And now Bangladesh crises.
Himanta went on to question the loyalties of Bengali-origin Muslims (Miyas) in the light of tensions between India and Bangladesh.
“There is a lot of discussion on the ‘Chicken Neck’ (corridor connecting Assam to the ‘mainland’). Who is on two sides of the Chicken Neck? Not Hindu people.
They are the people who have come from Bangladesh and have settled. When they came is irrelevant.
Tomorrow, if there is a war between India and Bangladesh, who will these people stand with? Where is the loyalty of these people? Their uncles and grandfathers are still in Bangladesh,” he said.
These are calculated rhetoric no doubts but in all likelihood these will have resonance with the local people -- because it is they who have suffered the most due to continued Congress support for Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators.
He also made a call to unite against “divisions among us”, hinting at the recent tensions in Karbi Anglong between local Karbi tribals and Bihari Hindus who have settled there.
“Till as long as we are alive, for us, every election is a civilizational fight, a fight with the resolve to keep the jati alive,” he said.
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