Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday, February 9, said he was prepared to face arrest after AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi filed a complaint against him over a hate video shared by the BJP Assam IT wing targeting the Muslim community. Sarma claimed the video was aimed at Bangladeshi infiltrators.
Responding to media queries in Dibrugarh, the Chief Minister said he had no objection if legal action was taken against him.
“I am ready to go to jail. What can I do? I do not know anything about any video. If he has filed a case against me, arrest me. What objection do I have?” Sarma said, according to IANS.
However, he maintained that his stand on infiltration would remain unchanged.
“I stand by my words. I am against Bangladeshi infiltrators, and I will continue to be against them,” he added.
Earlier in the day, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi filed a complaint with the Hyderabad Police Commissioner against the Assam Chief Minister.
The video depicted the Chief Minister aiming a gun at AI-generated visuals of skullcap-wearing Muslims. The video, which carried captions such as “Point blank shot” and “No Mercy,” was later taken down following widespread outrage but continues to circulate on social media platforms.
“The said post and video, with the imagery used and statements like ‘Point blank shot’ and ‘No Mercy,’ is a deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage the religious feelings of Muslims, promote hatred and ill-will between religious communities, and incite communal violence,” Owaisi said.
Citing the Supreme Court’s judgment in Shaheen Abdulla v. Union of India & Ors., which held that it is the constitutional duty of the State and law enforcement authorities to protect fundamental rights, preserve constitutional values, and safeguard the secular and democratic character of the nation, Owaisi urged the police to take action against the Chief Minister.
With IANS inputs