Three days after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made a series of controversial statements targeting “Miya” voters, particularly him saying, “If a rickshaw asks Rs 5 as fare, give them Rs 4,” a video has emerged where a young woman hands over Rs 4 instead of Rs 20 to a rickshaw puller in the state.
“Miya” is a derogatory term used for Bangali-speaking Muslims.
The disturbing visuals show their interaction, in which the woman says that she is acting according to the advice of her “brother,” apparently referring to Sarma.
“Where is it written that the fare is Rs 20? Just because of your face, I should trust you? Sorry, I cannot pay that amount. My brother told me not to,” she says.
Not ready to believe her words, the rickshaw puller calmly asks her to show the Assam Chief Minister’s statement. She pulls out her phone and replays Himanta’s remarks.
“Look. See this. The CM himself said it. It clearly says Rs 4,” she says.
When the rickshaw puller says he cannot make a living with Rs 4, the young woman replies with no remorse, “I only know that I was told to pay Rs 4. It was said on the news.”
Harass ‘miyas’, Assam Police will protect you: Himanta
On January 27, while interacting with reporters, Assam Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Himanta Biswa Sarma openly acknowledged encouraging party workers to file complaints against “Miyas,” saying the actions were meant to “trouble” them and send a message that “Assamese people are still living.”
“Whoever can give trouble in any way should give, including you. In a rickshaw, if the fare is Rs 5, give them Rs 4. Only if they face troubles will they leave Assam… These are not issues. Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP are directly against Miyas,” he had said.
“Earlier, people were scared; now I myself am encouraging people to keep giving troubles. You should not do news that sympathises with them,” he added.
He said that during the ongoing Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR), around 4 to 5 lakh “Miya” voters would be removed from the electoral rolls.
“Vote chori means we are trying to steal some ‘Miya’ votes. They should ideally not be allowed to vote in Assam, but in Bangladesh,” the Chief Minister had said.
On January 29, he blatantly called Congress leader and MP Gaurav Gogoi and his wife Elizabeth Colebourn Gogoi “Pakistani agents.”
“If you have the guts, go register a case against me,” he challenged the young leader.
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