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Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Himanta says will tighten cattle slaughter law after series of arrests bring issue to centre stage in Assam
Politics over cattle and beef have taken a centre-stage in Assam after a string of incidents in which suspected cattle remains have been recovered near places of worship, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma saying Friday that the government would tighten the enforcement of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, while Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has alleged BJP involvement in these incidents ahead of next year's elections. In the past two weeks, at least 72 people have been arrested in Dhubri, Goalpara and Lakhimpur after three separate incidents of suspected cattle remains being recovered from near temples in the first two places, and near a namghar (community prayer hall) in Lakhimpur. Sarma Friday referred to these as an attempt to create unrest 'since Eid ul Zuha.' Speaking at a press conference, he said that all these incidents have taken place in 'sensitive areas.' 'When we look at all these incidents and wherever they have taken place, they are near localities where there have been arrangements of eating beef during Eid ul Zuha. Our cattle preservation bill says that if Hindu people stay in an area, or if there are temples or namghars, this kind of meat cannot be consumed within 5 kilometres radius near these. That is a legal provision,' he said. The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, that he was referring to has a section which prohibits the sale of beef and beef products in areas 'which are predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh and other non-beef eating communities or within a radius of 5 km of any temple, satra, or other religious institutions belonging to Hindu religion or any other institution or area as may be prescribed by the competent authority.' Sarma said that the state government would prepare an SOP to stop qurbani (sacrifice) of cattle within a 5-km radius of such premises saying the enforcement of this 'can be a permanent solution.' 'Dhubri has one of the leading gurudwaras in the country. And there are many temples near that… But this time around Eid, the district administration had not enforced this provision the way it should have been done… So, we have directed district administrations that this significant section in our cattle preservation bill has to be enforced very strictly… This can be a permanent solution. If the 5 km provision is implemented, no one can eat and no one can slaughter within Dhubri town,' he said. Last week, he had also alleged that beef is being 'weaponised' against Hindus in the state to force them away from places. Hitting out against these developments, MP and Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi has accused Sarma of 'Jinnah-like politics' and alleged a BJP role in these incidents. 'There should be investigation into all these people who have been held so far on who gave them this idea, who gave them the advice. Those who have done it have done an offence, but who gave them the idea?… Elections are close, failures have to be hidden, and this is their whole strategy,' said Gogoi on Friday. 'There are some criminal minded people within them. Within the BJP, RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, there are some criminal minded people who seek to do these kinds of things before elections. Our aim is not to let a communal environment be created inside Assam… We will not let him do his 'Jinnah-like' politics,' he added.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt probes surge in foreign-linked Fb accounts ahead of polls
1 2 Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the govt has initiated a forensic audit of about 5,000 Facebook accounts activated in the last one month, raising concerns over a surge in foreign-linked accounts, which he alleges are being used to destabilize Assam and influence its political discourse. Sarma said a detailed forensic study was conducted on 2,092 accounts, revealing that a significant number of these were primarily operated from Islamic nations. Sarma said among the audited Facebook profiles, 618 were from Bangladesh, 236 from Pakistan, 88 from Kuwait, 54 from France, 35 from Afghanistan, 16 from Indonesia, 10 from Jordan, eight from Iraq, six each from Brazil and Egypt, four each from Germany and Albania, three from Italy, two each from Australia and Palestine and one each from Canada, Colombia and Libya. Sarma said these accounts share Islamic fundamentalist content, including pro-Palestine material, Iran-related posts, and content about Bangladesh's chief advisor Prof Md Yunus. He added that the central govt has been notified about this situation, describing it as a matter of "national security". Sarma added that these accounts also have been exclusively monitoring the activities of a specific Assam Congress leader and the party's state unit pages during the past month. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Вот что поза во сне говорит о вашем характере! Удивительные Новости Undo "It is surprising that they do not comment on or like posts by Rahul Gandhi or even the Indian National Congress. They are only focused on a particular leader and the Assam Congress," Sarma said. "For the first time, there is so much foreign involvement in Assam politics in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections," he said. "Some accounts are private, and deeper investigations are required. It is a serious security concern that over 5,000 social media accounts were opened in a month, and they are commenting and liking posts related to Assam," he added. Sarma said some individuals from outside have rented accommodation in two Guwahati localities and have established connections with YouTubers and social media influencers for this purpose. "Surveillance is being kept on them. Fundamentalist elements have entered Assam and are active in the run-up to the elections," he said. He added that these account holders might be connected via WhatsApp and other messaging applications, as they operate from different time zones and receive alerts about fundamentalist content. He added that Assam's Muslims, whether indigenous or settled migrants, would not share such content. He said Assam and the northeast have consistently been targets of international fundamentalism, with separating the 'chicken neck' to integrate it with Bangladesh remaining an 'unfinished agenda' for extremists. "We are in a very critical situation and the entire matter is being looked into from the national security angle," Sarma said.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Animal parts near places of worship: Gaurav for probe
1 2 3 Guwahati: Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Friday called for an inquiry to identify those responsible for placing animal body parts in public spaces and near places of worship across Assam in recent past. "Investigations should be conducted against all those arrested for placing these items. Additionally, the probe should target those who came up with the idea and made the initial suggestions," he said. Responding to political opponents' claims that his appointment as state party president had prompted certain groups to engage in activities risking communal harmony, Gogoi rejected these assertions. "Elections are approaching. Our objective is to prevent anyone from creating communal tensions here. We have observed the situation in Manipur caused due to BJP. We will not allow it in Assam," he added. He questioned Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma about the implementation status of union home minister Amit Shah's initiative to construct ponds for flood mitigation in the state. "Where have the ponds been dug? We have been searching for them; we want to see," he said. "The CM had said he would donate his land, but we are witnessing the land of Bodos, Rabhas, Karbis and Misings being appropriated," he claimed. Gogoi said that citizens require governmental responses regarding unemployment and the Barak Valley's infrastructure deficiencies, amongst other issues. "Congress is for everyone. We are protesting inhuman evictions, the persistent D-voter problem in the Barak Valley, and the non-granting of ST status to six communities. We are standing up for the people," he said.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Himanta Sarma claims 5,000 accounts from countries like Pak backing Congress
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has alleged that around 5,000 Facebook accounts, mostly operated from Islamic countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, have become active in the past one month and were posting content in favour of the said such foreign involvement ahead of the elections was concerning, and he had informed the Centre about to the media, Sarma said these accounts originated from countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and were interacting with content related to the Assam Congress and one of its While Sarma did not name the Congress leader, he appeared to be referring to Gaurav Gogoi. Gogoi was appointed the Assam Congress president in from Islamic fundamentalist content, Sarma said pro-Palestine posts and remarks supporting Bangladesh's interim head Muhammad Yunus were being put out by these accounts."These accounts are not just politically aligned but are also propagating hardline Islamic content that does not resonate with the sentiments of indigenous Muslims in Assam," the Chief Minister further claimed that the Congress was highlighting interactions from these accounts to portray increased public support. He called this approach misleading and warned that such activity from foreign sources could harm India's democratic process, especially during also said there was information that some people from outside the state had rented houses in Guwahati and have connected with social media influencers for this Congress has not yet responded to the allegations, the Chief Minister called on national agencies to investigate what he described as "foreign involvement" in Assam Watch
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan, Bangladesh-based Social Media Accounts Boosting Assam Congress' Online, Says Himanta
Last Updated: Assam CM alleges over 5,000 foreign-run social media accounts are backing state Congress. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday alleged that over 5,000 social media accounts run from Pakistan and Bangladesh and other Islamic nations are boosting the online presence of the state Congress unit. 'It is surprising that they do not comment on or like posts by Rahul Gandhi or even the Indian National Congress. They are only focused on a particular leader and the Assam Congress," Sarma was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Himanta Biswa Sarma did not name the Assam Congress leader in question, but it appeared he was referring to Gaurav Gogoi, who took charge as the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president in the last week of May. The Assam CM claimed that social media accounts from 47 countries, mostly from Pakistan and Bangladesh, have been unusually focused on Gogoi's activities and the state Congress unit's recent moves. He said this is the first time he saw 'so much foreign involvement in Assam politics". 'We are not concerned with the change in the party's leadership in the state, but this development has taken place in the last month and there must be some link. For the first time, there is so much foreign involvement in Assam politics in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections," Sarma said. He said the issue is related to 'national security" and added that the government is not ruling out that 'some of the accounts may be from within the state". Sarma then revealed that he has 'ordered a forensic audit" of the accounts while pointing out that some of the 5,000 accounts are being run with their location marked as Guwahati. He also said these social media accounts, apart from posting about Assam politics, are also reportedly sharing content linked to Islamic fundamentalist causes, including pro-Palestine messaging, Iranian narratives and statements by Bangladesh's chief advisor Mohammad Yunus. He said a forensic audit revealed that 700 of the accounts originated from Bangladesh, 350 from Pakistan, 246 from Saudi Arabia, 86 from Kuwait and 35 from Afghanistan. First Published:
