The controversy erupted over a clip said to have been shared on 7 February from the official BJP Assam handle on X. Though the video was deleted a day later, it continues to circulate widely on social media. Opposition parties have described the footage as inflammatory and communal.
Addressing reporters, Ajmal said Sarma was “not fit to remain Chief Minister even for a single day” and should be sent to jail. He accused the BJP leader of delivering repeated hate speeches targeting a community over the past six months and alleged that the latest video crossed constitutional limits.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) filed a complaint at Dispur police station, alleging that the video contained provocative remarks. According to the complaint, phrases such as “Assam free from foreigners, no mercy” and “Why didn’t you go to Pakistan?” were used, language the Congress says targets Bengali-origin Muslims, often labelled as “Miya” or “Bangladeshi” in the state’s political discourse. Party leaders Sibamoni Bora and Diganta Barman called for a case to be registered under relevant sections of law.
The issue has also reached the Supreme Court. Leaders of the CPI(M) sought urgent directions against the Chief Minister, describing the remarks and visuals as discriminatory. Senior advocate Nizam Pasha mentioned the matter before the Chief Justice of India, who said a hearing date would be assigned, noting that election-related disputes frequently come before the apex court.
In Hyderabad, AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi lodged a complaint with city police, terming the video “genocidal hate speech” and urging authorities to take criminal action. He said law enforcement agencies are duty-bound to act suo motu in cases involving hate speech.
Responding to the allegations, Sarma said he was unaware of the video’s circulation. He maintained that if a case had been filed, authorities were free to arrest him. “I have no objection. I am ready to go to jail,” he said, while reiterating his stand against what he described as illegal infiltration from Bangladesh.
The incident has intensified political tensions in Assam ahead of upcoming elections, with opposition parties framing it as a test of constitutional accountability and the BJP dismissing the charges as politically motivated.
