A major political controversy has erupted in Assam after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Congress of backing a demand to reserve 48 out of the state’s 126 Assembly constituencies for the Muslim community, specifically the Miya Muslims. The BJP has strongly opposed the alleged demand, calling it a “grave conspiracy” against indigenous communities and warning that it promotes “dangerous” Islamist fundamentalist politics.

The issue has intensified the political atmosphere in the state, with sharp exchanges between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress. The BJP has claimed that such a move would seriously harm Assam’s indigenous identity and social fabric.

Reacting to the controversy, Assam Pradesh BJP spokesperson Kamal Kumar Medhi launched a strong attack on the Congress. He alleged that the party had abandoned its nationalist legacy and had become the “ideological successor to the Muslim League.” According to Medhi, the Congress of today stands in sharp contrast to its historical leaders.

He referred to leaders like Gopinath Bordoloi, stating that they had “fiercely opposed” attempts to merge Assam with Pakistan in the past. Medhi claimed that the present-day Congress was now “echoing the same political designs under a different guise.”

Medhi said the controversy was triggered by a statement made by Mohsin Khan, a Congress spokesperson and National Secretary of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). According to the BJP, Khan reportedly demanded that 48 Assembly constituencies be reserved exclusively for minority Miya Muslims. Medhi described this statement as “irresponsible and deeply alarming.”

He further alleged that the demand reflected an attempt to establish political dominance of “Islamist fundamentalist forces” in Assam. Medhi said this was especially worrying at a time when, according to him, such forces in neighbouring Bangladesh were “harbouring hostile designs” against Assam and the wider North-East region.

The BJP spokesperson also accused the Assam Congress leadership of supporting this demand. Medhi claimed that under the leadership of state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, the party had revived what he described as a “long-standing conspiracy” to weaken indigenous Assamese society. He alleged that close associates of Gogoi within the Congress had endorsed the demand and that the party had provided it “ideological backing.”

Medhi pointed out that neither the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee nor the national leadership of the NSUI had condemned or distanced themselves from Mohsin Khan’s statement. He termed this silence as “tacit approval” of the demand.

Recalling earlier instances, Medhi said that this was not the first time such demands had been raised. He claimed that several Congress leaders, including Rakibul Hussain, had earlier spoken in favour of reserving Assembly seats for Miya Muslims. He also referred to past demands raised by Miya Muslim leaders, including calls for the creation of “Miyaland,” a separate Miya Autonomous Council, and the establishment of a Miya Museum at Kalakshetra.

According to Medhi, these demands showed a “sustained political agenda” that, he alleged, aimed to alter Assam’s social and political structure. He stressed that the BJP viewed such moves as a serious threat to indigenous communities.

Issuing a stern warning, the Assam BJP said that any such demand would be opposed strongly. Medhi asserted that the Assamese people would remain united and resist what he described as attempts to undermine the state’s identity. He said the Assamese are “a nation that had defeated the Mughals multiple times in history” and would continue to protect their cultural and social heritage.

Meanwhile, the Congress has not issued any official response to the BJP’s allegations. The party has neither confirmed nor denied the claims made by the BJP or the statement attributed to its NSUI leader.

As the issue continues to unfold, it is expected to further polarise Assam’s political landscape, especially with future electoral battles on the horizon.