Himanta Biswa Sarma, Himanta Biswa Sarma, an influential minister who held portfolios like health and finance in the previous administration, has now been elevated to the post of the Chief Minister of Assam.

SabrangIndia had previously reported that this might be possible given how the swearing in ceremony of the Chief Minister had not taken place in the state for nearly a week, even though it happened within days in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Sarma and his cabinet ministers took oath of office today at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati. Present at the ceremony were many senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as its ally the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Assam’s former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP chief JP Nadda, BJP’s Assam in-charge BJ Panda, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, Nagaland CM Neiphu Rio, Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb and Manipur CM Biren Singh attended the ceremony.

The old and the new

Sarma’s cabinet comprises some trusted old hands as well as six new faces. Five-time MLA Parimal Suklabaidya retained the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Fisheries and Excise. Old hands Chandramohan Patowary from the BJP, AGP president Atul Bora and AGP working president Keshab Mahanta too retained their cabinet berths.

The six new inductees into the cabinet include Assam BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Congress turncoat Ajanta Neog, Tingkhong MLA Bimal Bora, Dhemaji MLA Dr Ranuj Pegu, Dhekiajuli MLA Ashok Singhal, and BODO leader and Sahitya Academy awardee poet Urkhao Gwra Brahma of BJP ally United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).

Combat Covid NOW!

The new team now has three formidable tasks ahead of them. First, they must control the spread of the Coronavirus that is spreading fast amidst a fresh surge in Assam. According to the Assam Covid dashboard, there are 31,829 active cases in the state. 3,299 fresh cases and 48 new fatalities were reported on Sunday. Kamrup Metro remains the worst affected district followed by Dibrugarh.  

#AssamCovidUpdate

Media Bulletin on #Covid19 and actions taken as on 09/05/2021. pic.twitter.com/J853MtYJgx

— NHM_Assam (@nhm_assam) May 9, 2021

Resolve NRC impasse

The next big issue Assam needs to resolve is the impasse over the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The previous administration has vehemently rejected the NRC published on August 31, 2019, despite the NRC being a Supreme Court monitored process. A previous demand for reverification of the NRC had been summarily shot down by the Supreme Court. When Hitesh Dev Sarma, Assam’s State Coordinator for NRC issued orders for reverification in October 2020, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) and All Assam Minorities Students Union (AAMSU) filed contempt petitions.

This had been a key election issue and a “corrected NRC” was promised in BJP’s election manifesto for the Assembly Elections. The state government has claimed that many ineligible people’s names had made their way into the NRC. All of this has placed in limbo the process of issuing rejection slips that is further delaying the process of defending citizenship before Foreigners’ Tribunals.

When the NRC was published in August 2019, over 19 lakh people were left out. These NRC excluded people then underwent a long claims and objections process, but the reason for rejection needed to be recorded in speaking orders, so that these people could then take appropriate measures to then defend their citizenships before FTs.

Already FTs are under the scanner for operating in ways that are in contravention of set law and procedure. SabrangIndia’s sister organization, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) had discovered FT notices pasted on electric poles in Bongaigaon district! We had also previously exposed how the state legal aid machinery was woefully undertrained and understaffed to process the deluge of applications by NRC excluded people.

Stop communal polarisation

Finally, the BJP must introspect and ensure none of its members engage in any further minority bashing or communally charged hate speech. Himanta Biswa Sarma must lead from the front and this appears to be a challenge. In February this year, he had said made disparaging remarks about a section of the Muslim community in the state and said that the BJP did not want the “Miya Muslim” vote. He said that the party does not need votes from the Bengali origin Muslim community in Assam to win the elections, and accused them of “openly challenging Assamese culture, language and the composite Indian culture”, as reported by the Indian Express.

Sharma further virulently attacked the community and said, “They have started identifying themselves as Miyas. These so-called Miya people are very communal and fundamental and they are involved in many activities to distort Assamese culture and Assamese language. So, I don’t want to be an MLA with their vote. I will not be able to sit in the Assembly if they voted for me.”

This deliberate attempt to drive a wedge between two sections of the same community reeks of a divisive agenda that not only makes the “Miya” Muslims more vulnerable but also further communally polarises the state that has a rich history of coexistence.

Related:

Could Himanta Biswa Sarma be Assam’s next Chief Minister?
Himanta Biswa Sarma barred from campaigning, cop brother transferred
Don’t need Miya Muslim vote: Himanta Biswa Sarma
BJP’s election manifesto in Assam promises “corrected” NRC, end of “Love Jihad” 

The post Himanta Biswa Sarma becomes Assam Chief Minister appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On Monday, Assam lost one of its best-known political leaders when Tarun Gogoi passed away. Born in Jorhat on April 1, 1936, Gogoi went on to become the face of the Congress party in Assam, and was the state’s longest serving chief minister from 2001 to 2016.

Top political leaders across party lines have condoled his passing:

Shri Tarun Gogoi was a true Congress leader. He devoted his life to bringing all the people and communities of Assam together.

For me, he was a great and wise teacher. I loved and respected him deeply.

I will miss him. My love and condolences to Gaurav & the family. pic.twitter.com/jTMfSyAJ6J

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 23, 2020

Tarun Gogoi who rescued Assam from bankruptcy in 2001 and transformed the state during the 15 years he was CM, is sadly no more. He was a wonderful man, full of energy and ideas till the very last. I have many fond memories of working closely with him. He will be missed.

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 23, 2020

People in rest of India may or may not know but the role of ##TarunGogoi in rebuilding Assam along with other leaders was key to the overall development of the northeast region. we across different party line have huge respect for him which is rarity today

— Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) November 23, 2020

I am extremely saddened to hear about the passing of Tarun Gogoi, former CM of Assam.

He was a veteran politician and an able administrator.

On behalf of the DMK, I extend my deep condolences to his family and the cadres of the Congress Party who are mourning his loss. pic.twitter.com/qQCc79H0QO

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) November 23, 2020

Extremely sad news about Shri Tarun Gogoi’s passing. Heartfelt condolences to Shri @GauravGogoiAsm and all others in Shri Gogoi’s family. pic.twitter.com/9fnZrtlmVw

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) November 23, 2020

Very saddened to learn about the demise of Former CM of Assam Shri Tarun Gogoi Ji. My deepest condolences to the family.@GauravGogoiAsm pic.twitter.com/BioCEtDFGK

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 23, 2020

Tarun Gogoi is perhaps best remembered for pulling Assam back from the brink of financial ruin when he took charge in 2001. During his 15-year tenure as Chief Minister, Gogoi also contributed significantly to helping reduce insurgency and violence in the state.

In 2005, when over 5 lakh migrant labourers were allegedly thrown out of Arunachal Pradesh on suspicions of being ‘outsiders’, it was Gogoi who had their citizenship verified and ensured that they were able to go back home safely. In fact, to make sure that people, especially ethno-chauvinistic students’ groups, did not harbour any animosity towards these migrant workers, he had their names and states of origin published prominently in major publications in the state. Something that helped allay fears in a state where a large majority of people believe that illegal Bangladeshi migrants have entered the state and are trying to change the demography of Assam, a belief that led to the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985 that in turn paved the way for the update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

In 2013, he ensured all eligible voters got their Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), another step towards resolving deep-seated issues surrounding the volatile citizenship situation in Assam.

With him gone and a crucial election coming up, the Congress and other opposition parties are left virtually rudderless in the state.

Related:

BJP will prepare NRC again if it comes to power in 2021: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Assam Chief Minister openly rejects NRC

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