New Delhi: Maulana Sajid Rashidi, president of the All India Imam Association, has raised objections to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent use of the term ‘Miyan’ in a public statement. Rashidi described the Chief Minister’s comment as unconstitutional and questioned his right to hold office.
Speaking to news agencies, Maulana Sajid Rashidi said, “Himanta Biswa Sarma is a controversial leader who often makes unconstitutional remarks. Our Constitution is secular and mandates that every Chief Minister or minister must work without any discrimination. However, he openly suggested that if a Muslim is a rickshaw puller, they should be paid less, effectively encouraging economic discrimination.”
Rashidi further stated, “These are not merely the words of a Chief Minister but reflect a mindset steeped in Islamophobia. The Chief Minister should consider the entire population as one community. I believe that a person spreading hatred should not be allowed to remain in office. The President must consider removing such a person and impose President’s rule if necessary.”
He also expressed confidence that Sarma’s government would not return to power in the next state elections and added, “If the Chief Minister has any sense of morality, he should resign voluntarily.”
The Congress party has also condemned the statement by Himanta Biswa Sarma. On the social media platform X, the party said, “Himanta Biswa Sarma is violating the Constitution despite having taken an oath to uphold it, sowing seeds of hatred in the country. This reflects the divisive mindset of BJP-RSS. His remarks are not only inappropriate but also a direct attack on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Constitution and our composite Ganga-Jamuni culture that guarantees equality to every Indian. BJP owes an apology to the entire nation for this shameful act.”