Guwahati, Dec 29 (PTI) Congress Lok Sabha MP Abdul Khaleque on Wednesday filed a police complaint against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly making a communal statement against the “Muslim community” while justifying September’s bloody eviction drive at Gorukhuti in Darrang district.
Khaleque filed the complaint against Sarma at Dispur police station urging to register the FIR under Sections 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc.) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code.
A senior police officer told PTI that they have received the complaint, but have not registered a case yet as “it is at an inquiry stage”.
The Congress leader alleged that the chief minister on December 10 had stated that the eviction drive at Gorukhuti was a “revenge” for the incidents of 1983 (killings of some youths there during Assam Agitation).
“Betraying his oath on the Constitution, the Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr Sarma has maliciously given a communal colour to what was supposed to be an executive exercise,” the complaint said.
Around 1,200-1,400 houses were razed to the ground on September 20 and 23 in Dhalpur I, II and III villages in Gorukhuti, leaving over 7,000 people homeless. Village markets, mosques, cemeteries, madrassas and maktubs were also bulldozed.
The eviction drive, which passed off peacefully on the first day but was conducted amid stiff resistance by the local people on the second day, also left two dead in police firing on September 23, including a 12-year-old boy who had got his first identity proof, an Aadhaar card, just before he was shot dead. Over 20 people were injured, including policemen.
“By calling such horrendous acts as revenge, Sri Himanta Biswa Sarma has not only justified the killings and arson committed there, the legality of which is sub-judice before the Hon’ble Gauhati High Court, but he has gone far ahead and has communalised the whole exercise — the target of which was the Muslim population living there,” it added.
The “rampant human rights violations” at Gorukhuti were preceded by multiple utterances of Sarma, who targeted the particular community, Khaleque alleged.
“The hate created by the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s constant denigration of the Muslim community manifested itself in the egregious acts of a civilian,” he said.
The parliamentarian pointed out that a government photographer had stomped on the body of one of the deceased while he was taking his last breath after having been gunned down by the police.
“And by calling the unfortunate events at Gorukhuti an act of ‘revenge’ for 1983, the Hon’ble Chief Minister is giving wanton provocation to people to commit further acts of rioting against the particular community of the state.
“Through such malignant and provocative utterances, the Hon’ble Chief Minister is intending to cause disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will towards the Muslim population of Assam,” he said.
Khaleque further said that the instances of religious enmity in India are numerous and with every passing day, such incidents of “communal flare ups” are on the rise.
He said that the chief minister’s Constitutional duty is to protect all irrespective of caste, creed or religion and preserve the social fabric of the state.
“…Chief Minister is aggravating the situation through his vindictive hate mongering…Sarma has clearly committed offences under Sections 153, 153-A of the Indian Penal Code,” the MP said in his complaint. PTI TR ACD ACD
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