The BRICS TimesJamiat Ulama-I-Hind chief Mahmood A. Madani accuses Assam government of dividing people on religious lines amid eviction drive.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday warned that Islamic scholar and Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind president Mahmood A. Madani could face arrest if he “crosses the line.”
The remarks came after Madani, who is touring areas where Muslims are being evicted as part of a state-wide clearance drive, criticised the government’s approach.
Accusing the administration of exploiting religion for political gain, Madani said: “People are being branded with labels like ‘Miya,’ ‘unknown,’ or ‘doubtful,’ and subjected to derogatory remarks. This attitude is even more painful than the harsh evictions themselves. If there are doubts about someone’s identity, there are proper ways to address it—why not follow them?”
He further stated that while foreign encroachers should be removed, Indian citizens cannot be displaced without rehabilitation, citing Supreme Court directives. Madani had visited relief camps in Goalpara before making his remarks.
Responding sharply, Sarma said, “Who is Madani? He may have been relevant during Congress rule, but not anymore. I am the chief minister, not him. If he crosses the line, I will ensure he is jailed.”
The CM added that Madani’s delegation had been permitted to see conditions in Goalpara firsthand. “Now that he has witnessed it, he will think twice before encouraging such actions,” Sarma said, reiterating that the eviction drive, launched in July, will continue.
