Assam: BJP-Congress war intensifies on influx issue

In what may be called an attempt to polarise the indigenous population against the fear of a demographic invasion from Bangladesh, the BJP-led alliance has intensified its anti-Bangladeshi rhetoric for the April 4 and 11 Assembly polls in Assam.

Accusing the ruling Congress party of having a secret understanding with All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), perceived to be a party soft on infiltrators, the BJP’s election strategist, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said, “If BJP is not voted to power, Maulana Badruddin Ajmal will be capturing power in Dispur in a post-poll alliance with the Congress. This is a do-or-die election for the indigenous people of Assam.”

In what has been reiterated by most BJP leaders in their election speeches, Mr Sarma said, “If Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi had the blood of Lachit Borphukan — a 17th-century Ahom warrior who defeated the Mughals in the Battle of Saraighat near the Brahmaputra — in his veins, Mr Gogoi would have driven out the Bangladeshis from Assam by now.”

Though there have been attempts to polarise the indigenous population on the foreigners issue, BJP leaders have been maintaining a safe distance from communal issues. Political observers point out that the people of Assam are liberal and inclusive, but quite emotional about infiltration from Bangladesh.

Indicating that the BJP has crafted its strategy carefully, political observers said BJP leaders have been stressing on regional issues.

Afraid of polarisation of indigenous voters, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has not only been distancing his party from the AIUDF but also targeting the BJP, saying, “When Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, he declared that all illegal immigrants would be driven out of Bangladesh. But after making this lofty promise Mr Modi did not do anything.”

He pointed out, “The issue of illegal immigrants is just a political jumla for the BJP in elections. It was my Congress government which took steps on preparing the National Register of Citizens to detect and deport immigrants.”

Sandwiched between the rhetoric of the BJP and AIUDF, the Congress has been relying on old issues, like secret killings and violence that rocked the state during the AGP regime.

In an obvious attempt to revive secret killings (extra-judicial killings of Ulfa family members), Mr Gogoi on Thursday announced he would refer the investigation to the CBI. Mr Gogoi came to power the first time in 2001 by raking up the emotive issue of secret killings, but he is alleged to have failed to pursue the investigation to book the culprits.