‘I’ve transformed a large section of Muslims from Hindu haters to those who can co-exist with Hindus… Assam can be a model’: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, one of the star campaigners of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, spoke to The Indian Express Wednesday during a break he took from his travels to Odisha, Jharkhand and Punjab, where polling is scheduled for the last phase. Excerpts:

At least 21-22 from the 25 seats in the Northeast. Assam saw the most impact of the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act… There was apprehension that its implementation would again trigger protests. Why has the response been so lukewarm?… (Because earlier) there was a lot of miscommunication. In Assam, we could not (dispel) the impression that Bangladeshi Hindus would come and settle here…

After I took over (as CM in 2021), we held formal and informal programmes to dispel the fears. Home Minister (Amit Shah) had informed me privately that the CAA was a reality and would be notified sooner or later, giving me time for preparing the ground. We convinced a large section that the CAA would not change the demography of Assam.

I have no hesitation in admitting that there are still people who do not accept the CAA, but they appreciate the development in Assam and do not want an agitation to affect it, like last time. So there was a broad consensus among them to seek legal remedy. This is the consensus we have built in the last two years.

In Assam, there is no Bengali Hindu in any camp. There is a high court order that no one can be detained in a camp for more than two years. So, if we have put anyone in a camp and Bangladesh does not accept them, we have to release them… Their names will not be in the voter list, but they are free. There may be an insignificant number of people in camps, maybe 70 or 80…

Development – of human capital and of social