Row erupts over Syeda Hameed’s remarks on Bangladeshis in Assam; Rijiju and CM slam ‘Attack on Sovereignty’

A fiery political backlash has erupted in Assam following statements by activist and former Planning Commission member Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, who, during a recent visit, suggested that Bangladeshis also have a right to reside in the state.

Hameed, accompanied by a delegation of civil society figures including Prashant Bhushan, Harsh Mander, Jawahar Sircar, Wajahat Habibullah, and Fayaz Shaheen, was in Assam at the invitation of Asom Nagarik Sanmilan to assess eviction drives, citizenship issues, and treatment of Muslims in the state.

Advertisement

“What’s wrong if they are Bangladeshis? Bangladeshis are also humans. Earth is so large; Bangladeshis can live here,” she said, adding that “Allah has made this earth for humans, not for devils.” She described the state’s eviction drives as “qayamat (apocalypse) for Muslims” and accused the government of falsely labelling Indian Muslims as Bangladeshis to harass them, calling such portrayals “mischievous and detrimental to humanity”

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju took to X to condemn Hameed’s remarks as “misleading in the name of humanity,” accusing her of undermining India’s sovereignty. He wrote: “It’s about our land and identity… Syeda Hameed may be closest to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi but shouldn’t support illegal migrants.”

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma responded. He accused Hameed of “legitimising infiltration,” aligning with ideologies aimed at “realising Jinnah’s dream,” and insisted that “Bangladeshis are not welcome in Assam.” He underscored that Assam’s identity was “on the brink of extinction” due to support for illegal immigrants.

Sarma also invoked the legacy of Ahom general Lachit Barphukan, declaring: “We are the sons and daughters of Lachit Barphukan, we will fight till the last drop of our blood to save our State and our identity.” He asserted, “Assam is not up for grabs by illegal infiltrators, NOT NOW, NOT EVER,” urging sympathisers of such views to “accommodate them in their own backyards” Adding concrete action to words, Sarma announced that 36 illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators have been deported from Sribhumi and South Salmara districts, calling it a necessary step to preserve indigenous rights and demographics,

Assam has historically grappled with issues of illegal immigration dating back to the 1970s. The Assam Agitation (1979–85) culminated in the 1985 Assam Accord, establishing March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for foreigner identification. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) update in 2019 excluded nearly 19 lakh people, sparking widespread disputes, protests, and legal challenges.

The current government of CM Sarma has escalated eviction campaigns—particularly targeting forest and government lands—drawing criticism over disproportionate impacts on Bengali-origin Muslims (often referred to as “Miya”) and alleged targeting of Indian Muslims as illegal immigrants.

Hameed’s remarks strike at the heart of these sensitive issues, reigniting deep-seated concerns over immigration, identity politics, land rights, and ethnic tensions that have defined Assam for decades.