The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam has sounded a major alarm, claiming that hundreds of Qawmi madrasas have been established covertly in the state's sensitive riverine regions. The party has drawn serious connections between the curriculum taught in these institutions and those operated by known Islamist groups in neighboring countries.
Allegations of Extremist Curriculum and Historical Brutality
BJP spokesperson Ranjib Kumar Sarmah made startling allegations, stating there is virtually no difference between the educational content of these madrasas in Assam's char and chapori areas and those run by Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh and the Haqqani Network in Pakistan. This, the party asserts, poses a significant threat to the state's social fabric and security.
Sarmah further intensified his remarks by invoking past incidents of violence. He drew a direct parallel between the recent killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Bhaluka, Bangladesh, and the brutal murders of Assamese people during the 1983 anti-foreigner movement in Assam. He described in graphic detail the killings at Garukhuti in Darrang district and Laletapu in Tezpur, where victims were allegedly hacked with machetes and subjected to extreme cruelty by what he termed "Miya Muslims."
A Pattern of Religious Supremacy Over Culture?
The BJP spokesperson presented a contentious ideological argument. He claimed that for a section of Muslims, often referred to as "Miya" in the local context, religion alone is the final and supreme truth, superseding language or cultural identity. "In the name of religion, they are always prepared to commit adharma at any level," Sarmah stated.
He extended this argument to the situation in Bangladesh, suggesting that despite a shared Bengali language and culture, the Islamic majority there carries out atrocities on Hindu minorities. The case of Dipu Chandra Das was cited as a fresh example of this alleged mindset. Sarmah argued that the goal is to establish religious supremacy through political dominance, a process he claims is visible globally.
Political Dominance and Demographic Concerns
Linking demography to power, Sarmah alleged a strategic pattern. He stated that after achieving political dominance through what he described as a population explosion, this community then unleashes atrocities on people of other religions. The establishment of the alleged secret madrasas in the remote, riverine char areas is viewed through this lens as a part of a larger, concerning agenda.
The BJP's statements have brought the issue of religious education and security in Assam's vulnerable geographies into sharp focus. The allegations, connecting local institutions to international networks and framing historical violence within a specific religious narrative, are likely to fuel significant political and social debate in the state.
