All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi has filed a complaint with Hyderabad Police, seeking criminal action against Chief Minister Sarma over the video
NEW DELHI — There are not many takers for the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s assertion that he was unaware of the controversial ‘Point-Blank Shot’ video posted by the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on its official X handle. The video, which attracted widespread condemnation and outrage, shows the chief minister aiming a rifle and firing at two individuals — one wearing a skull cap and the other sporting a beard.
The video was later deleted following the outcry.
The clip triggered sharp criticism and condemnation from several quarters, with many alleging that it amounted to targeting members of a particular community and promoting communal hatred. Critics said such imagery was deeply disturbing in a diverse country like India, where minorities have played a significant role in shaping the nation’s history and culture.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday filed a complaint with Hyderabad Police, seeking criminal action against Chief Minister Sarma over the video shared on social media.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official function in Guwahati on Monday, Sarma claimed complete ignorance of both the video and the complaint. “I don’t know anything about any video,” media reports quoted him as saying when asked about the controversy. He also said he was unaware of any police case filed against him.
The chief minister added, “If any case has been filed against me, arrest me. I don’t have any objection. I am prepared to go to jail. I will always stick to my words. I am opposed to Bangladeshi infiltrators and will always remain so.”
Prominent Congress leaders condemned the video on Sunday, accusing the BJP of deliberately sowing hatred against a particular community and jeopardising peace and harmony. The party termed the video “abhorrent” and demanded accountability from the Assam government and the BJP leadership.
Critics have questioned how such a provocative and hateful video could be uploaded on the Assam BJP’s official social media handle without the knowledge or approval of the chief minister, who is also the state’s most prominent BJP leader. They argue that the episode reflects a growing pattern of divisive political messaging, warning that normalising such content risks deepening communal polarisation and undermining democratic values.
