Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Activists associated with a civil rights group based in Jharkhand have filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for making hate speeches against Muslims during an election rally in Jamshedpur.
On Monday, Loktrantra Bachao Abhiyan submitted the complaint to Ananya Mittal, district election officer of East Sinhbhum in Jamshedpur related to the controversial speeches made by Sarma in Bishtupur on 24 October.
“During the nomination rally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Himanta Biswa Sarm delivered communal speeches against Muslims. He had incited people for violence against Muslims and polarised the voters along the religious lines,” reads the complaint signed by half a dozen activists.
The complaint mentioned the part of Sarma’s speech in which he talks about kicking out Babur (a reference to Muslims) from the country.
“Where did Hussainabad come from here? So I have already announced that if our government is formed, then in the first cabinet itself we will offer the name of Hussainabad to Maa Ganga. The name Hussainabad is not going to continue in our Jharkhand. What is happening in Jamshedpur West today, how the demography of Jamshedpur is changing gradually, you people have seen this. What is the cadre of JMM today, what is the cadre of Congress? They do not want your votes. They want to win the election only with the votes of a particular class of people. That’s why these people don’t work for you. But now the time has come that just like we have done the work of driving away Babur in Ayodhya and building Ram temple, we will do the same in Jharkhand. Babur is still settled in every corner of the country. It is time for us to kick him out,” the part of Sarma’s speech was quoted in the complaint.
The complainants pointed out that this speech was clearly meant to spread communalism against Muslims and create religious polarisation in the elections. Through this speech, people are also being incited to commit violence against Muslims in the name of religion. This is not only a gross violation of the model code of conduct but also a conspiracy to spread religious violence in the district.
The group sought the registration of an FIR and appropriate action against Sarma by pointing to “his long history of hateful and communal speeches. It urged the Election Commission to completely ban him from addressing election rallies and meetings in the district.
Three days ago, the rights group had also filed a complaint against Sarma for making hate speeches targeting Muslims during an election rally in Palamu on 23 October. In the complaint, he was accused of making hateful speeches and violating the model code of conduct in Hussainabad.
