The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has demanded the resignation of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of inciting hostility against Muslims through repeated statements and actions that it said violate constitutional principles and threaten communal harmony. In a statement issued by its Bihar unit, the civil rights organisation alleged that Sarma’s rhetoric stigmatises religious minorities and creates an atmosphere of fear and polarisation, and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and consider invoking Article 355 of the Constitution to ensure constitutional governance in Assam. The demand comes amid a political storm over a controversial “point-blank shot” video briefly posted on the Assam BJP’s official social media handle, which opposition leaders and civil society groups described as provocative and communal. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and the Congress have filed police complaints alleging that the content promotes religious enmity, while the Assam BJP later distanced itself from the clip, claiming it was uploaded without authorisation and that disciplinary action was taken against those responsible. The issue has also reached the Supreme Court, where petitions have been filed accusing the chief minister of hate speech targeting minority communities, particularly Bengali-origin Muslims, though Sarma has denied the allegations, saying his remarks and policies are aimed at addressing illegal immigration and safeguarding Assam’s interests rather than targeting any religious group.
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