“If Bapu Was Alive Today…” What the Assam CM Said amid 'Miya' Controversy

Amid the 'Miya' controversy, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that if Mahatma Gandhi were alive today, he would have supported the Assamese people’s fight against illegal immigration, stressing that protecting the state’s rights and identity should not be seen as hatred.

Reacting to post by Mahatma Gandhi's great grandson, Tushar Gandhi, CM Sarma said democratic governments are changed through elections, not through threats, pressure or attempts to unseat an elected Chief Minister.

"If Bapu were alive today, he would have stood with the Assamese people. In fact, history shows that his intervention saved Assam from becoming part of Pakistan. Standing up against illegal infiltration is not hatred--it is about protecting the rights, identity, and future of the Assamese people. Let me answer you very clearly: governments in a democracy are changed by the people through elections, not by intimidation or attempts to pull down an elected Chief Minister," CM Sarma wrote on X.

Tushar Gandhi, in his post, had lashed out at the Assam Chief Minister over his remarks on “Miya Muslims”, saying that in “Bapu’s India”, citizens would have removed him from office for what he called hateful comments. He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of promoting divisive politics.

If Bapu were alive today, he would have stood with the Assamese people . In fact history shows that his intervention saved Assam from becoming part of Pakistan. Standing up against illegal infiltration is not hatred—it is about protecting the rights, identity, and future of the… https://t.co/5974KNnMIO

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 30, 2026

The exchange comes amid mounting criticism of CM Sarma’s recent remarks referring to “Miya Muslims” in the context of alleged illegal immigration from Bangladesh.

Citing observations of the Supreme Court of India, CM Sarma warned about demographic changes in Assam due to illegal migration, saying that acknowledging such concerns cannot be labelled as communal or hateful.

“Those who are attacking me for my remarks on ‘Miyan’, a word used in Assam in the context of Bangladeshi Muslim illegal migration, should pause and read what the Supreme Court of India itself has said about Assam. This is not my language, not my imagination, and not political exaggeration, the CM said.

"These are the Court's own words: The silent and invidious demographic invasion of Assam may result in the loss of the geostrategically vital districts of lower Assam. The influx of illegal migrants is turning these districts into a Muslim-majority region. It will then only be a matter of time before a demand for their merger with Bangladesh may be made. Loss of lower Assam will sever the entire land mass of the North East from the rest of India, and the rich natural resources of that region will be lost to the Nation," he added.

Meanwhile, Congress MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi strongly criticised Sarma, accusing him of misusing the name of the Supreme Court to justify his remarks. Gogoi claimed that the Chief Minister was quoting language that was not authored or adopted by the apex court and called it “dishonest and shameless politics”.

"Dishonesty and shamelessness define Himanta Biswa Sarma's politics. He has stooped so low that he is misusing the name of the Hon'ble Supreme Court. He claims to rely on the Hon'ble Court's 'own words' from the case of Sarbananda Sonowal. This is a blatant lie," Gogoi said.

"The language he quotes is not the Supreme Court's. The Hon'ble Court neither authored the said words nor adopted it. To pass off an executive report as a judicial pronouncement is a deliberate contempt," he added.

Also Read: 'Paying Less to Miyas Won't Make People Of Assam Rich': Pawan Khera Slams Himanta Biswa Sarma