In Assam, the statement of social worker and former Planning Commission member Syeda Hamid has created a political stir. Recently, Syeda Hamid, who went on a tour to Assam, gave a controversial statement in which she said that “Bangladeshis can also live in India.” After this statement of hers, there has been an uproar in the politics of the state. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reacted strongly to this and alleged that due to such statements, the culture and identity of Assam is in danger.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s counterattack
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shared a post on social media and wrote that “People like Syeda Hamid, close to the Gandhi family, legitimize illegal intruders because they want to fulfill Jinnah’s dream of Assam becoming a part of Pakistan. Today, due to the silent support of people like him, Assamese identity is on the verge of extinction. But we are the descendants of Lachit Barphukan, ready to shed blood till the last drop to save our land and our identity. Let me say clearly that Bangladeshis are not welcome in Assam. This is not their land. Those who sympathize with them should give them a place in their home, but not in Assam—not now, not ever.”
People like Syeda Hameed, a close confidant of the Gandhi family legitimise illegal infiltrators, as they seek of realise Jinnah's dream of making Assam a part of Pakistan.
Today Assamese identity is on the brink of extinction because of the tacit support of people like her.… pic.twitter.com/KTMdrNP38P
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 25, 2025
Syeda Hamid’s controversial statement
Syeda Hamid had arrived with a delegation on a tour of Assam. The team also included Harsh Mander, Wajahat Habibullah, Fayaz Shahid, Prashant Bhushan and Jawahar Sarkar. During this tour, she inspected the areas vacated by the government. Talking to the media, Syeda Hamid said, “What is wrong in being a Bangladeshi? Bangladeshis are also humans. The earth is very big, they can live here too. Allah has created the earth for humans, not for devils. Why are humans being displaced so ruthlessly?” She accused the government of adopting inhumane methods while displacing minority communities.
Heat rises in Assam politics
This statement of Syeda Hamid has heated up the politics of Assam. The BJP is calling it a “threat to Assam’s identity”, while the opposition says that the government is making such statements to legitimize the action against minorities. This issue is no longer limited to Assam, but has also become a topic of discussion at the national level. This controversy is likely to deepen further in the coming days, because on the one hand the Assam government is adopting a tough stand on “illegal infiltration”, while on the other hand human rights activists are calling it an issue of “humanity versus politics”.
