'Won't let Miya Muslims take over Assam': CM Himanta Sarma days after 14-year-old girl gangraped
Replying to the motion, the Assam chief minister said the crime rate has not increased if the population growth is taken into account.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he would take sides, and won't let 'Miya' Muslims “take over” the the state. Himanta Biswa Sarma was speaking in the assembly on adjournment motions brought by the opposition parties to discuss the law and order situation in the state in the backdrop of the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon, news agency PTI reported.
Replying to the motion, the Assam chief minister added that the crime rate has not increased if the population growth is taken into account.
When the Opposition charged him of being partisan, Himanta Sarma retorted, “I will take sides. What can you do about it?”
“Why will people from Lower Assam go to Upper Assam? So that Miya Muslims can take over Assam? We won't let it happen,” PTI quoted him as saying.
Amid the heated debate, members of both treasury and opposition benches stormed into the Well of the House, prompting Speaker Biswajit Daimary to adjourn the proceedings for 10 minutes.
MLAs of Congress, AIUDF, and CPI(M), and lone Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi had moved four adjournment motions for discussion on the situation arising out of increasing crimes in the state, including crimes against women.
Opposition parties hold demonstrations in Guwahati
The opposition parties in Assam on held demonstrations in various parts of Guwahati, including the assembly complex, alleging the failure of the government to protect women and prevent crime against them.
Congress MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia marched from inside the assembly building to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi within the compound, holding placards and shouting slogans demanding the safety of women and condemning the targeting of a particular community for all crimes against women, PTI reported.
"The Dhing incident is not the only one. After that also, many such cases have taken place in different parts of the state," Saikia told reporters.
"The CM, who also holds the Home portfolio, is not at all serious and concerned about the situation. We discussed in the assembly about crimes against women with NCRB data and asked the government to take action," he said.
Saikia claimed that the Home Department has asked the Assam Police not to register "some cases" of such crimes.
A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by three persons while she was returning home from tuition at Dhing in Nagaon district on August 22.
Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi too protested inside the assembly complex, holding a banner that replicated the horrific episode from Mahabharat of Draupadi's 'vastraharan' with Sarma as Dhritarashtra.
Members of the AIUDF's youth wing had a scuffle with the police in front of its state headquarters at Hatigaon in Guwahati when they tried to move towards the secretariat as part of the 'Dispur Chalo' march.
Meanwhile, protests by women groups continued at Dhing demanding the arrest of the two culprits, who were absconding.
The prime accused, who was arrested on Friday, allegedly escaped from custody, jumped into a pond and died on Saturday morning, police said.
The other two accused are still on the run and searches are continuing with raids conducted at several places for them.
(With inputs from agencies)