‘Miyas’ will face trouble as long as I am CM, says Assam’s Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that “Miyas” would face trouble as long as he remains in power, asserting that persistent difficulties should be created to prompt their departure from the state.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a government programme in Goalpara, Sarma described Miyas as “illegal Bangladeshis” and said they should not be allowed to work in Assam . “If I remain in Assam, they will face troubles. They can’t live in peace here. If we create troubles for them, only then will they leave,” he said.

Sarma also justified his earlier remark that if a Miya rickshaw-puller charges Rs 5 as fare, he should be paid Rs 4, saying it was meant “for their benefit.” He explained, “If one goes by law, they cannot work here. Citizens of a country can work in their own land. How can those from Bangladesh work?” He added, “If they cannot accept me speaking for their benefit, then I have to only work against them.”

The chief minister made several allegations against the community. He claimed that Bangladeshi Muslims could constitute 40 per cent of Assam’s population in the next Census. He accused Miyas of encroaching on satras (Vaishnavite religious and educational institutions) and land , and alleged that they were involved in “love jihad” and “fertiliser jihad,” suggesting social and resource-based manipulation.

The term ‘Miya’ is historically a pejorative label for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, often perceived by non-Bengali speakers as Bangladeshi immigrants . In recent years, some from the community have begun using the term as an act of defiance.