Himanta Biswa Sarma hits back at Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, unveils major development push in Jagiroad

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday strongly criticized Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani over his remarks demanding Sarma’s removal from office for alleged “hate speech.”

Addressing the media, Sarma dismissed the statement as politically motivated and accused the Jamiat leadership of being out of touch with the realities of modern Assam.

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“The brand of politics represented by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has lost its relevance and credibility in today’s Assam,” Sarma said, taking a direct swipe at the century-old Islamic organisation, which has historically played an influential role in mobilising Muslim opinion across India, including in the Northeast.

The Jamiat, one of the largest socio-religious Muslim organisations in the country, has often clashed with Sarma over issues of illegal migration, eviction drives, and religious identity politics. While Madani’s recent comments sparked sharp political reactions, Sarma used the opportunity to reinforce his image as a leader determined to assert Assam’s cultural and political autonomy.

Alongside the political confrontation, the Chief Minister turned his attention to governance and development. Speaking at a massive gathering at Jagiroad’s Dreamland Playground, Sarma announced the distribution of financial assistance to nearly 38,000 women entrepreneurs under the Chief Minister’s Women Entrepreneurship Mission.

The scheme, one of the flagship initiatives of the Assam government, aims to promote self-reliance by providing women with capital support to start and expand businesses. “The pace of growth in Assam has accelerated from two to ten, and in the coming days, it will only grow stronger,” Sarma declared, urging beneficiaries to make the best use of government support.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for a ten-storey women’s hostel at the Jagiroad Semiconductor Project site—seen as a part of Assam’s push towards industrialisation—and also inaugurated the foundation stone of the Jagiroad Sub-Divisional Office at the Mayang Circle complex.

The event was attended by senior ministers including Pijush Hazarika, Jayanta Malla Baruah, and Morigaon MLA Ramakanta Deuri, along with district officials.