Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has invited criticism for saying all the indigenous communities and genuine Indian citizens need to unite to be fully insured against “Mughal aggression”.
Speaking at an induction programme organised by the State Bharatiya Janata Party for more than 700 members of two tribal groups on Friday, Mr. Sonowal said the indigenous communities should come together to defeat the “conspiracy of illegal foreigners” to take over Assam.
“The bhumiputra [sons of the soil] are not fully safe and secure because the Mughal aggression is still on,” he said after the members of Bodoland People’s Front, one of the BJP’s two regional allies, and United Bodo People’s Organisation, representing Bodo people living outside the Bodoland Territorial Council, joined the saffron party.
Mr. Sonowal said differences and misconceptions existing among the indigenous communities of Assam must be removed for preserving their self-esteem and self-respect.
“Members of indigenous communities have lost their rights over land in many districts of Assam. What will be left for us if we lose the right over our lands?” he said, adding that a conspiracy was on to finish off the indigenous people by inciting them to fight one another.
While the Opposition Congress and All India United Democratic Front said the Chief Minister should spell out what he meant by ‘Mughal’, former BJP leader and anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act activist Mira Borthakur took to social media to slam his governance.
“If Mughal aggression has not ended, what has your elected government been doing? What has stopped your government from thwarting the aggression?” she asked.