Synopsis:
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma warns that STRANGE outsiders indulging in “excessive politics” will face arrest, recalls NRC controversies, and counters Mamata Banerjee’s criticism.
Qalam Times News Network
Guwahati — August 19, 2025
STRANGE people visiting Assam will not be tolerated if they cross limits, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared at a press conference in Guwahati on Tuesday. He alleged that individuals arriving from other states were engaging in disruptive politics and vowed that anyone exceeding boundaries would be arrested.
Sarma said such STRANGE elements had also interfered during the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process and “spoiled the entire exercise” by creating false records. “During NRC, they came and manipulated the process. Today, we are seeing people like Irfan Ali Engineer from Mumbai and Advocate Neha Darbani, with others arriving from Kerala. This time, we are keeping watch on every outsider, and if anyone does excessive politics, they will definitely be arrested,” he warned.
The Chief Minister alleged that these were “fundamentalist forces” attempting to protect certain sections by exploiting loopholes. According to him, many fake entries were made in the NRC list by using common names to include individuals who were not eligible. He said the government has identified anomalies over the past five years and is prepared to present the findings before the Supreme Court, where petitions for NRC revision are still pending.
Sarma also hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her criticism of the NRC, accusing her of trying to “create fear” among Bengali communities ahead of state elections. He dismissed her remarks as unnecessary, pointing out that no fresh NRC order has been issued. “She remained silent for five years. Now, with elections approaching, she has suddenly started speaking about NRC to gain votes,” Sarma said.
Banerjee, in recent speeches, had alleged that the BJP’s “double-engine government” was conspiring to strip citizens of their rights, branding them as illegal immigrants and pushing them into detention. She vowed to protest globally if genuine voters were excluded from electoral rolls and accused the Election Commission of working as an “agent” of the BJP.
The clash of statements underscores how the NRC issue continues to fuel political confrontation in Assam and neighboring West Bengal, with both ruling and opposition leaders using it as a rallying point in the run-up to elections.
