‘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

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.

What will happen to those judged illegal immigrants and kept in detention camps?

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…

What has been your focus area since you took over as CM?

Development – of human capital and of social infrastructure. Second is identity – that we assure the Assamese people that their political rights or supremacy will not be compromised… The delimitation process was completely without hype, and convinced the people that our identity is not at stake… That is my achievement in three years.

You announced a peace pact with the ULFA (I). You appear to have invested a lot into it personally.

Because of the active engagement of the Home Ministry, particularly Home Minister Amit Shah, we have convinced almost every extremist group in Assam to join the mainstream. In the last 30 years, we lost more than 50,000 civilians to extremist strikes or police action… This agreement with the ULFA has brought in a huge transformation… In the last three years, we have not seen even democratic protests in Assam… It has become completely peaceful; I would not have expected this in my lifetime.

Why is the Naga peace process still struck?

The accord has not been concluded yet, but the government of India and Naga people have agreed they will not destabilise the state. That is why, barring Manipur… the last 10 years have been the most peaceful in the history of the Northeast.

Why is the Manipur crisis still continuing?

Manipur has a history of conflict between the major communities of Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas. Unfortunately, every 10 years, a conflict erupts… When there is a conflict between two tribal groups, particularly in the Northeast, it is not easy to resolve. They have their own issues and try to resolve them outside the government. Many do not accept mediation… We have to be patient and allow them to resolve it… My assessment is that it (the Manipur situation) will heal on its own… We can maintain law and order.

The BJP always talks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on the Northeast. However, why hasn’t he visited Manipur since the crisis began more than a year ago, not even for the elections?

We have discussed this (the Manipur crisis) at various platforms, including in Parliament. The Home Minister visited Manipur and stayed there for three nights. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai stayed for two months. PM Modi has expressed his concerns regarding Manipur on many occasions.

You are seen as one of the future leaders of the BJP along with Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath.

Yogi Adityanath is the CM of a big state and a very big landscape, so a comparison is completely unwarranted. My state has only 14 Lok Sabha seats; UP has 80… I know my limitations and I am happy in Assam. People like me, at 55 years, should not behave like Rahul Gandhi. We should know our limitations.

When Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra passed through Assam, there were several incidents and spats, unlike in other states. Was it personal?

He chose the wrong timing for his Yatra in Assam. He has visited Assam many times and I am not one to be terrorised by his visits. But this one was at the peak of the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha celebrations… It was like he wanted to challenge the Pran Pratishtha and the Ram Bhakts of Assam… Next time when he comes, such a situation will not be there.

But why is Rahul the target of attack from all BJP leaders, starting from the PM? You said you would get him arrested after the Lok Sabha elections.

I said I would get him arrested for a different reason. If you violate the law (reference to a case registered during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in January) and proceedings begin… you have to summon him. If he gets bail, it’s different…

As long as Rahul Gandhi remains the face of the Congress, he will be targeted. Why does every Congressperson attack Modi?… The moment Rahul Gandhi recedes to the background and another (face) emerges, we will criticise the new one. So, the fight with Rahul Gandhi is not personal… In Assam, the Congress is my political opponent as well, so I have to fight him politically.

Now, because of some of his utterances, he has shown a tilt from a secular party to a more-lenient-to-Muslims party, and a party which does not respect the sentiments of Hindus. So, from being just a political opponent, Rahul has also become an ideological opponent. The fight has intensified.

You and your family have faced serious charges of corruption from the Congress.

I would like to invite them for tea to know what the case is against me… They have just given me a leaflet published by the BJP when I was in the Congress. If that is the only basis… anyone who shifts to another party would be called corrupt.

You have been accused of resorting to Islamophobia to boost the BJP, including in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Islamophobia is real for many of us. Because sections of Muslims in our country hate the majority community. If you see my election speeches in Assam, I have not mentioned the word Muslim at all, and I campaigned intensively in Muslim-dominated areas. I have transformed a large section of the Muslim community from being Hindu haters to those who can co-exist with Hindus… So the incidents of love jihad, land grabbing have come down… We have recovered land and redistributed it to temples and monasteries… In Assam, harmony between Hindus and Muslim is at an all-time high. I have not raised any anti-Muslim remarks because they have genuinely accepted the delimitation process.

Once a model like Assam is established outside the state – let Muslims accept a Uniform Civil Code and the Krishna Janambhoomi in Mathura, shift the Gyanvapi Masjid (in Varanasi), things will change. That will bring down Islamophobia among Hindus. Today, Kashmir has witnessed a high voter turnout, people have accepted the abrogation of Article 370… it has changed the landscape.

Islamophobia cannot be reduced by the so-called secular people. It has to be reduced by a dialogue between Hindus and Muslims. You just cannot blame Hindus asking why they are speaking against Muslims. You have to ask Muslims also why they are speaking against Hindus. I think only a few issues remain between Hindus and Muslims now. In the coming five years of the Modi government, all these issues will be resolved. Gradually we will see the politics of development… We need to make India developed and for all communities to live in harmony.. Let them shift the Shahi Eidgah (in Mathura) to a different location… If the Gyanvapi Masjid can be relocated, not by force but with mutual consultation, the situation will be different.