Assam Opposition parties criticise CM’s ‘Miya’ remark
The Hindu
War of words between political opponents in Guwahati over spiralling veggie prices. CM blames 'Miyas', Opposition parties accuse BJP & AIUDF of communal politics. AIUDF chief says 'Miyas' hurt by CM's comment. Congress, Raijor Dal & AAP allege BJP using communal politics to hide failures. CM urges Assamese to start businesses.
Spiralling vegetable prices in Assam’s largest city Guwahati have triggered a war of words between political opponents, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s blaming ‘Miyas’ for the escalating rates drawing sharp reactions from Opposition parties.
While AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal said ‘Miyas’ have been ‘hurt’ by the CM’s comment, Congress and other Opposition parties sniffed collusion between the BJP and the AIUDF in ‘communal politics’ ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
Mr. Sarma, while responding to reporters’ questions on high price of veggies in Guwahati, had said, "Vegetables are not priced so high in villages. Here the Miya vendors charge us more. Had it been Assamese vendors selling vegetables, they wouldn’t have fleeced their own people."
"I will clear all the footpaths of Guwahati and I urge our Assamese people to come forward and start their businesses," he added.
Miya is originally a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam. In recent years, activists from the community have started adopting this term in a gesture of defiance.
Reacting to Mr. Sarma’s statement, Mr. Ajmal said such words are unbecoming of a Chief Minister, who is the head of a State, and the community has been ‘feeling hurt and offended’.
"This is creating a communal divide. If it triggers any incident, the government and Himanta Biswa Sarma will be responsible for it," the Lok Sabha MP added.