Bangladeshi’ Narrative Won’t Sway Assam, Says Gaurav Gogoi

Quick Summary:

• Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi criticized Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s focus on “Bangladeshi infiltrators” and stated it would fail to resonate as a political strategy in the 2026 Assembly elections, similar to BJP’s 2024 defeat in Jharkhand.
• Gogoi emphasized that it is indeed the responsibility of both Central and State governments to prevent illegal Bangladeshi immigration, questioning BJP’s effectiveness after nearly a decade in power.
• The Assam government has evicted over 55,000 people, mainly Bengali-speaking Muslims, from forest lands and other areas; they have often been labeled as “Bangladeshis” or “illegal immigrants.”
• Congress opposes illegal settlement by Bangladeshis but criticized widespread evictions affecting Bengalis,tribals,Scheduled Castes (SC),Other Backward Castes (OBC),and muslims under sarma’s leadership.
• Gogoi accused Sarma of prioritizing personal property accumulation at the expense of displacing diverse communities.
• He claimed declining public support for the BJP-led Assam government and said people might want to see Himanta Biswa Sarma held accountable.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The ongoing discourse around “Bangladeshi infiltrators” remains central to Assamese politics. Gaurav Gogoi’s comments underscore skepticism about BJP’s ability to translate this issue into electoral success amid broader dissatisfaction tied to eviction drives. While BJP champions land protection policies claiming demographic threats posed by alleged infiltration, divisive measures impacting marginalized groups such as Bengali-speaking Muslims may erode its appeal across diverse ethnic constituencies.

Gogoi’s critique not only challenges governmental policy efficacy but also foregrounds accountability issues surrounding administrative displacement. Regardless of electoral outcomes, this debate highlights tensions between national security narratives and equitable governance in India-a recurring theme with significant socio-political implications for border states like Assam.

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