The Crossbill News Desk
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday (August 21) launched a public attack on Shah Alam, a 29-year-old Muslim reporter based in the Guwahati. Sarma criticized Alam and others of his religious background, questioning whether they would allow the Assamese Hindu community to thrive and survive amid what he described as changes in the state’s demographics.
The confrontation arose when Sarma disparaged Alam, a reporter for the Guwahati-based online news portal Newz Now, for his religious identity in response to a question about the destruction of hills being reported from Sarma’s Jalukbari assembly.
The incident occurred following a meeting at the Assam Legislative Assembly concerning the Rajya Sabha nomination process. Following the meeting, Sarma spoke with reporters outside the assembly, fielding questions on various significant issues. It was during this session that Shah Alam raised concerns about the continuous reports of hill razing in Kamrup district.
Sarma started by asking the reporter's name and linked him to the Muslim owner, Mahbubul Hoque of University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) in neighbouring Meghalaya.
Sarma had recently accused the same university of engaging in 'flood-jihad' by cutting down hills in neighbouring Meghalaya, which he claimed was causing flash floods in Guwahati.
Assam CM said, “I would like to question Shah Alam and Mahbubul Haque of USTM whether they would allow us to live in Assam,” adding that the most pressing issue in the state was demographic change, specifically the faster growth rate of the Muslim population compared to Hindus, Hindustan Times reported.
The Backlash
In a statement released on Thursday, the Journalist Union of Assam (JUA) condemned Sarma’s personal attack on Alam, criticizing it for being based on the reporter’s religion.
“Instead of answering the query from the journalist, the chief minister referred to his religious identity,” JUA statement said.
The Gauhati Press Club also released a statement expressing concern over the Chief Minister's remarks. They highlighted a growing trend of disparaging responses from political leaders towards journalists who ask questions as part of their duties during press interactions.
“In the latest case, the honorable chief minister pulled the religious identity of a journalist into context without any apparent relevance during a press interaction on August 21. The Gauhati Press Club expresses deep concern at such an incident. We urge all political leaders to ensure no recurrence of such instances in the future and show dignity to their position and the media’s role,” the statement read.
The confrontation arose when Sarma disparaged Alam, a reporter for the Guwahati-based online news portal Newz Now, for his religious identity in response to a question about the destruction of hills being reported from Sarma’s Jalukbari assembly.
The incident occurred following a meeting at the Assam Legislative Assembly concerning the Rajya Sabha nomination process. Following the meeting, Sarma spoke with reporters outside the assembly, fielding questions on various significant issues. It was during this session that Shah Alam raised concerns about the continuous reports of hill razing in Kamrup district.
Sarma started by asking the reporter's name and linked him to the Muslim owner, Mahbubul Hoque of University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) in neighbouring Meghalaya.
Sarma had recently accused the same university of engaging in 'flood-jihad' by cutting down hills in neighbouring Meghalaya, which he claimed was causing flash floods in Guwahati.
Assam CM said, “I would like to question Shah Alam and Mahbubul Haque of USTM whether they would allow us to live in Assam,” adding that the most pressing issue in the state was demographic change, specifically the faster growth rate of the Muslim population compared to Hindus, Hindustan Times reported.
The Backlash
In a statement released on Thursday, the Journalist Union of Assam (JUA) condemned Sarma’s personal attack on Alam, criticizing it for being based on the reporter’s religion.
“Instead of answering the query from the journalist, the chief minister referred to his religious identity,” JUA statement said.
The Gauhati Press Club also released a statement expressing concern over the Chief Minister's remarks. They highlighted a growing trend of disparaging responses from political leaders towards journalists who ask questions as part of their duties during press interactions.
“In the latest case, the honorable chief minister pulled the religious identity of a journalist into context without any apparent relevance during a press interaction on August 21. The Gauhati Press Club expresses deep concern at such an incident. We urge all political leaders to ensure no recurrence of such instances in the future and show dignity to their position and the media’s role,” the statement read.
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