Baijayant Panda interview: ‘People of Assam have had enough of impunity of law-breakers … CM Sarma is very blunt about language he uses’

The BJP does not take any election lightly. That is why I, like many other senior leaders, have been working in Assam for a few months. The mood, feedback, response of the people, as well as the surveys indicate a tremendous pro-incumbency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus (on the region) is legendary. He has made 77 visits to the state as against his predecessor Manmohan Singh, who was an MP from the state but visited Assam only 10 times. One can see the transformation that has taken place.

Also, I do not think there is any complacency. The BJP is a well-oiled machine and not a party that turns up during elections unlike other parties. We are aiming for a historic, landslide landmark victory.

* Has the BJP been able to keep allies together? 

We have had a long standing alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and it continues unabated. We also have an alliance with the parties representing Bodos: the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). We have announced candidates in coordination. The UPPL has sent their leader to the Rajya Sabha with NDA support.

* The election comes at a time when there is fear of a crisis in the energy sector because of the conflict in West Asia. Will it have any impact on the elections?

I do not believe so. People have seen the country is facing bigger challenges under the leadership of Modi ji. During the Covid pandemic, the entire economy shut down, everything was shut for many months. Today, it is not the situation. We have had the best recovery of any nation. We have been the fastest-growing nation among the big economies. Most importantly, we have had the lowest inflation. We have had other challenges like the (Pahalgam) terror attack last year and mini war with Pakistan. People have confidence in the Modi government.

* Big names from other parties have joined the BJP recently. Is there a problem of plenty in the BJP? 

Whoever is good in the Congress is finding it difficult to work in the party. Whoever has any patriotism in their heart finds it difficult to work in the Congress. Everyone who has left the Congress has cited the same reasons: arrogance, nepotism and disconnect with the people.

Recently, the Youth Congress disrupted the AI summit. Now the youth in Assam, who are happy at Assam getting huge investment in semiconductor manufacturing, got upset when the Congress disrupted a high-tech summit meant to encourage this sector. The youth gets disheartened by this and it has an impact on those leaving the party. We have given tickets to some of those who came into the party, but the vast majority is from the party’s indigenous support base.

* What are your plans for constituencies in upper Assam, Barak Valley, Kokrajhar? 

Assam has arguably the most diverse society. The BJP is sensitive to this. You will see a good balance of various segments of society being represented. But the single biggest issue in Assam has been illegal immigration. A demography which at Partition was 11% is today 36-38% not through natural causes, but by huge illegal immigration. This had a tremendous reaction in Assam because the illegal immigrants have occupied the land, forest land, government land and, more importantly ,the land surrounding Namgarh, the religio-spiritual cultural centres of Assam illegally.

Huge numbers of illegal land grabbers have been evicted from their encroached land in recent years. Some people are portraying it as polarisation, but it’s simply the implementation of the law of the land. Assam has come a long way in terms of security. Bodo areas are completely safe to live and invest in, AFSPA has been withdrawn from most of the areas, and militants have surrendered.

* Why has there been rhetoric from BJP leaders, including the CM, that the Opposition has labelled as divisive and polarising?

The CM is extremely popular in Assam and he is in tune with the sentiments of people. Instead of getting excited about some of these comments, I would urge them to go to the root of these comments. For example, one of the criticisms was over the crackdown on child marriages. It’s a sad reality that the child marriage problem is far more predominant in a certain section of the society. Some people say it is polarisation, but it is not. It is the law of the land that is implemented strictly and it should be done.

Similarly, the drive on the eviction of the land grabbers. It’s unfortunate that the vast majority of the land grabbers happen to be illegal immigrants. But it’s not just them. In the wetlands near Guwahati, those who were evicted were not just from one community. When you crackdown on child marriage or land grabbers, no one should dispute it. But it depends on how you say it: some people sensationalise it. But the roots of the action being taken are purely rooted in law.

* But has an atmosphere of fear been created because of such statements? 

The rhetoric may sound sensational but the crackdown on child marriage and eviction of illegal occupation are the commonly attributed aspects of the so-called polarisation. Because a large number of people from one community have been affected. But I challenge anyone to explore this data … Every scheme rolled out by the Assam government is for everyone. There is no discrimination against any community based on religion. But when there is a crackdown, law breakers who happen to be from a certain community are affected, people get caught up by the sensationalism of the rhetoric. Let’s not focus on the rhetoric.

*Could certain statements have been avoided?

The people of Assam have had enough of the impunity of law-breakers. Under the Congress government, for more than seven decades, law was being broken with impunity by large numbers of illegal immigrants who happen to represent a particular segment of the society. When the Congress government tolerated and facilitated it for vote bank politics, it built up anger in Assam across the population. People were angry with the impunity with that people were grabbing temple land, namgrah land, forest land, and the impunity of 11-year-old girls having children. It’s not acceptable.

The law is being implemented and the CM is very blunt about the language he uses. I am saying the same things in logic rooted in the law of the land. People who break the law with impunity should be afraid of the law.

* But, could the language have been different?

Look, everybody has their own way of communicating. It is not ordinary citizens who should be concerned, but rather those who are in the country illegally and deliberately exploiting the system while breaking the law — they should be the ones who fear legal consequences.