New Delhi, Nov 04 : Raising its voice against Bharatiya Janata Party’s hate hilled propaganda against minorities particularly Muslims in India, their eviction from homes and demolition of madrassas, All BTC Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU), staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. A group of 400 protesters, raised slogans against Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Indian state of Assam, for his anti Muslim policies.
Addressing the protesters, Taison Hussain, general secretary of ABMSU said that the students union is concerned of the majoritarian politics of BJP government in Assam for victimizing over 10 million Muslims in the state. He said that BJP leadership was not only spreading hatred against Muslims daily but also spitting venom against them on mainstream and social media. Taison Hussain was of the view that such tactics by Assam government were isolating Muslims further.
The AMBSU quoting state Assembly data pointed out that since Himanta Biswa Sarma became chief minister of Assam in May last year, the state government has evicted over 4,449 families mostly Muslims from their homes making them homeless.
The protesters also raised the issue of the madarasa demolition in the state citing the recent demolition of a madrassa is another attack on the religious identity of Muslims living in the state.
Hate-filled propaganda against Muslims, eviction of poor people and demolition of madrassas are some of the major issues raised during the three-hour sit-in
Hate-filled propaganda against Muslims, eviction of poor people and demolition of madrassas are some of the major issues raised during the three-hour sit-in. The protesters raised slogans against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Assam government and demanded justice for Muslims. They have also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister office (PMO).
According to the ABMSU, the Assam government has evicted over 4,449 families, mostly Muslims, making them homeless since Himanta Biswa Sarma became the chief minister of the state in May last year as per the state assembly data. The government has neither given any alternative land to the evicted nor any kind of government help. Most of the victims belong to the marginalised Muslim community. Some are still living in the makeshift huts in dire need of essentials.
Hussain pointed out that the evicted people are erosion-affected, lost their lands to erosion and floods and are forced to live on the government lands for ages. According to Government data, from 1954 to 2007 about 2.8 million bighas of land in Assam was lost to erosion.
“The “Right to Shelter” is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of India. Being a welfare state, the state is duty bound to give shelter to each and every landless citizen. But, the Assam government has been carrying out random evictions of landless people, more particularly belonging to minority Muslims, making them roofless and shelter-less. This violates the basic human rights of the people, reflecting the anti-minority attitude of the government,” he said.
ABMSU also slammed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for failing to arrest the culprits who killed its former ABMSU president martyr Lafiqul Islam Ahmed even after five years of his assassination. Ahmed was shot dead by miscreants in Kokrajhar in August of 2017.
Raising the issue of the madarasa demolition, the ABMSU said, “The recent demolition of a madrassa is another attack on the religious identity of Muslims living in the state. All kinds of anti-national activities should be stopped and any kind of Anti-India act should be dealt with by the law of the land. Demolishing madrassa without following due process of law in the pretext of ‘Jehadi’ activities is nothing but violation of fundamental rights of minorities guaranteed by the Constitution of India. This arbitrary act of the government is politically motivated to create a fear psychosis among the Muslims”.
The student union also slammed the government for leaving the NRC process in limbo and asked the Registrar General of India (RGI) to notify it.
“The poor Muslims and Hindus are being harassed in the name of D-Voters and Foreigners Tribunal cases which don’t follow any process of law,” said the group.
The ABMSU demanded an end to the eviction of people, demolition of houses and madrasas, compensate the Muslim families affected by conflicts and violence and provide justice to family members of Ahmed. agencies