Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued a clarification after facing criticism from several media organizations for allegedly questioning a journalist’s religious identity and targeting him. The controversy erupted during an interaction on August 21 in Guwahati when Shah Alam, a reporter, asked Sarma about alleged hill-cutting activities in Mandakata, part of Sarma’s Jalukbari constituency.
Sarma responded by inquiring about the reporter’s name and associating him with the Muslim owner of a private university. The owner had previously been accused by Sarma of engaging in “flood jihad” by cutting hills in nearby Meghalaya, leading to flash floods in Guwahati. This led to backlash, with media organizations and the Journalist Union of Assam (JUA) condemning Sarma for what they deemed a personal attack on Alam based on his religious identity.
Sarma, in his defense, explained that it is customary and a matter of security for journalists to introduce themselves by name before asking questions. He justified his inquiry by stating that in Delhi, it is standard practice for journalists to be asked their names by BJP officials at the start of their questions, and claimed he was being lenient by not insisting on this practice.
“If my name is Shah Jalal, I should say Shah Jalal… what’s wrong with that,” Sarma remarked. He asserted that this standard practice should not provoke controversy, adding that revealing one’s name is straightforward and non-problematic.
The Chief Minister’s response aims to clarify his actions and quell the criticism concerning the exchange with Shah Alam, emphasizing the procedural aspects of media interactions and security considerations. However, the issue continues to draw attention, reflecting broader concerns about the intersection of identity and political discourse in the region.
