GUWAHATI – The political climate in Assam has reached a boiling point as the state gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections. On Tuesday, Congress MLA Rakibuddin Ahmed launched a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of orchestrating a “sustained political narrative” to isolate the Miya-Muslim community through divisive rhetoric and electoral manipulation.
Allegations of Voter Roll Manipulation
Speaking at Goraimari in the Chamaria constituency, Ahmed raised serious concerns regarding an incident on the night of January 22 at the Boko-Chaygaon Co-District Commissioner’s office. He alleged that BJP-linked individuals were involved in the unauthorized addition and deletion of names from voter lists.
“Politics rooted in exclusion and suspicion only damages our democratic values. This is a grave violation of democratic norms,” Ahmed stated, linking the incident to broader concerns previously voiced by senior leader Rahul Gandhi regarding vote manipulation.
The Congress party has officially approached the Election Commission of India (ECI), demanding an impartial inquiry into the “Special Revision” process. This follows a wider outcry from six opposition parties who recently alleged that thousands of “fake objections” (using Form 7) were filed to strike off genuine voters from the rolls.
Demographic Context and “Miya” Identity
The controversy arises amidst heightening demographic tensions in the state. Recent estimates shared by the state government suggest a significant shift in Assam’s population dynamics:
| Community/Metric | Current Estimates (approx.) | Projected Growth (2027) |
| Miya-Muslim Population | ~38% | Expected to reach 40% |
| Total Voter Count | 2.51 Crore (Draft Roll) | N/A |
| Deletions in SR-2026 | ~10.5 Lakh (Dead/Shifted/Duplicate) | Ongoing Revision |
Ahmed slammed the BJP’s strategy of equating Bengali speakers with “Bangladeshi” identity, calling it unfounded. He emphasized that Bengali is an official Indian language spoken in Tripura, West Bengal, and parts of Assam like Hojai.
Social Harmony at Stake
The MLA warned that targeting a specific community threatens the “long history of peaceful coexistence” in Assam. While the BJP maintains that the electoral revision is a legal necessity to ensure accuracy, the Congress maintains that the process is being weaponized to disenfranchise minority voters ahead of the crucial March-April polls.
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