Mirzapur (UP), February 17 Amidst the controversy surrounding a viral video purportedly showing him aiming and firing with a rifle at members of a particular community, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that he always makes statements within constitutional limits, and therefore, he has nothing to fear.
Responding to the Supreme Court's refusal on Monday to entertain petitions seeking action against him over the viral video, Sarma said in Mirzapur on Monday, "Look, whatever statements I make, they are always within constitutional limits. That's why I have no fear."
Sarma also criticized suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir's announcement to construct a replica of the Babri Masjid in West Bengal's Murshidabad district.
"Whatever I say, I speak for the good of Assam and the Hindu society. And I will continue to do so. I believe that I never cross constitutional limits," Sarma said.
On Monday, a Supreme Court bench led by the Chief Justice refused to entertain petitions seeking action against the Assam chief minister over the viral video purportedly showing him aiming and firing with a rifle at members of the Muslim community.
The bench asked the petitioners to approach the Gauhati High Court with their grievances and directed the Chief Justice of the High Court to expedite the hearing in the matter.
Asked if it was appropriate for a chief minister to point a gun towards a particular community, Sarma said he only does things that suit him.
"Remember one thing – our (Assamese Hindu population) numbers reduced from 80 per cent to 60 per cent, and the secular people should also understand our concern.”
Asked about the proposed mosque in Murshidabad, Sarma told reporters, "It is a 'dummy' (replica) of the Babri Masjid, not the original (mosque). When the original is gone, what will the 'dummy' do?"
Last Wednesday, Humayun Kabir began the construction of the much-hyped mosque modelled on Ayodhya's Babri Masjid at Beldanga in Murshidabad district.
Kabir, who recently floated the Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) after his ouster from the Trinamool Congress, announced that the mosque at Rejinagar in Beldanga would be completed within two years and cost around Rs 50-55 crore.
The mosque is being built on an 11-acre plot and will have the capacity to accommodate about 12,000 people to offer namaz.
Following Kabir's announcement, the Vishva Hindu Raksha Parishad, a right-wing group, had called on the people of Uttar Pradesh to march to Murshidabad.
On driving out Bangladeshi infiltrators from Assam, Sarma said it is a big problem faced by the state.
"I drive away 100-150 of them daily. But the number is big. Right now, we have removed them from 50,000 acres of land in Assam. I have cleared 50,000 acres of land in five years.
"At a meeting with the prime minister, I said that I will now drive these people away from 1.5 lakh acres of land. The total land under their possession is 10 lakh acres," Sarma claimed.
On Rahul Gandhi criticizing the India-US interim trade deal, Sarma wondered if the Congress leader could even read the agreement.
"If there is no one around him (Rahul Gandhi), he will not be able to read the entire document. Rahul Gandhi’s mental condition is not good. He needs proper treatment," Sarma said.
On the comparison between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan, Sarma claimed, "One was a protector of Hindus (Shivaji Maharaj), and the other (Tipu Sultan) was a destroyer of Hindus. How can both be equal?"
