Guwahati: BJP blames Congress for ‘appeasement politics’ in Assam

Staff reporter

Guwahati: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of endangering Assamese culture and identity through decades of “appeasement politics” and neglect. In a statement state BJP chief spokesperson Kishore Kumar Upadhyay alleged that the Congress’ policies have led to massive encroachment on lands of cultural and religious importance.

Upadhyay highlighted the encroachment of sacred sites such as Batadrava Satra, founded by Srimanta Sankardev, and Rampur Satra, home to the Mahendra Kandali Tol, where Sankardev received his early education. He claimed that settlements, including madrasas, had been constructed around these sites under Congress rule, undermining Assam’s spiritual and cultural legacy. In Jorhat, once a bastion of indigenous culture, Upadhyay pointed to the rise of Dhakai Patris, alleging it as a symbol of cultural erosion due to unchecked immigration and settlement activities.

The BJP spokesperson accused the Congress of enabling systematic political, cultural, and linguistic aggression by supporting illegal immigration. He cited official figures claiming 63.58 lakh bighas of land had been encroached upon during Congress rule — much of it allegedly by suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

“Congress’ vote-bank politics has turned a blind eye to the encroachment of xatras, forests, temples, and protected lands (PGR/VGR). This is not just an issue of land, but of existence,” Upadhyay said. He claimed that nearly 15,580 bighas of xatra land had been occupied, with several xatradhikars facing violence, including murder, robbery, and even rape.

The BJP also raised alarm over what it called a deliberate demographic transformation. According to Upadhyay, the Muslim population in Assam has grown from 12% in 1947 to nearly 37–38% today, which he claimed is the result of a “political conspiracy”, not organic population growth. Referencing the 2011 Census, the BJP pointed out that several districts, once Hindu-majority, have now become Muslim-majority. These include South Salmara (95.2%), Dhubri (83.67%), Goalpara (57.52%), Barpeta (70.74%), and Nagaon (55.36%), among others. Even in districts like Cachar, Nalbari, and Kamrup, the BJP expressed concern over the visible demographic shift.

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