This time it is Mrinal Saikia, MLA from Khumtai in Upper Assam. While addressing a public meeting in Chabua in Dibrugarh, Assam, which was also a site of massive anti-CAA protests, he said, “The BJP has become strong, you can be strong too. You all just have to come out…have tolerated enough. If someone comes to burn your house, you also burn down their houses. If they touch one worker of ours, do the same with 10 of their workers.”
While making inflammatory comments, he also alleged that the protesters are trying to instill fear among the people. He further alleged that the protesters are filling their pockets by collecting donations from people in the name of protests. He also mocked the protests saying that “In a land with 3.5 crore people, just few groups of them came out in protest (of CAA). Are they the public?”
Our take: In the protests across the country, many a times the police have themselves admitted that some miscreants and not protesters are destroying public property. Protesters have gathered only with the intention to peacefully hold a rally or march to voice their agitation and dissent against the divisive policies of the government. To undermine these protests, the BJP leadership is coming out and maling inflammatory speeches to ignite a sentiment of hatred among its supporters against protesters who are being portrayed as ones initiating violence and destructing public property.
Mrinal Saikia’s speech can be viewed at the following link: