A Swift Political Exit in Assam
Rejaul Karim Sarkar made a dramatic exit from the Congress party on Wednesday. He resigned just three days after formally joining the political group. This sudden departure followed intense controversy over a speech he delivered during his joining ceremony on January 11.
The Speech That Sparked a Storm
At the event presided over by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, Sarkar spoke about unity. He expressed a desire for an Assam where communities do not despise each other. The former president of the All Assam Minority Students' Union called for presenting problems of all communities together.
"Every community has its own problems," Sarkar stated. "This is a stage where we can together present the problems of each community and tribe. Through this, there is a road for moving towards development and progress for all."
He then used specific geographical references that would later ignite a firestorm. "I'm a strong believer that with all the communities holding each other's hands and walking together, making Sivasagar Dhubri, making Dhubri Sivasagar, making Barak Sivasagar, making Tinsukia Dhubri, uniting everyone with the message of development and harmony, we will take Assam forward together," he declared.
Why the Words Caused Immediate Backlash
The statement quickly became controversial across Assam. Dhubri is a Bengali-origin Muslim-majority district in western Assam along the Bangladesh border. In contrast, Sivasagar and Tinsukia are eastern Assam districts with different ethnic Assamese communities.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the criticism. He called the statement a threat to "turn these districts into Miya land" by relocating people. The controversy grew rapidly in local media. It even sparked protests in places like Lakhimpur, led by groups such as the Veer Lachit Sena.
Attempts at Damage Control
Sarkar issued a video clarification the very next day. He insisted his statement was about harmony and had been misrepresented for propaganda purposes. "What I said was that we have to take everyone's development together in harmony and create a Bor Assam together," he explained. "Taking some parts of my statement, the way in which there were attempts to create propaganda is condemnable. I never meant to say that people from Dhubri will stay in Sivasagar, and that people of Sivasagar will stay in Dhubri."
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi also responded carefully. He said he had urged Sarkar to be more careful with public statements in the future. "Because of the choice of words, the intended meaning of Sarkar's statement had been altered, leading to misunderstanding," Gogoi noted.
Internal Party Criticism Mounts
Gogoi's attempts did not quell the controversy within his own party. Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saika publicly criticized the statement. Saika represents the Nazira constituency in Sivasagar. He alleged Sarkar might be close to Chief Minister Sarma and could be an "agent" of his.
"Sivasagar will always be Sivasagar, and Dhubri will always be Dhubri," Saika asserted. "Both places have their historical glory and importance. 'Bor Assam' does not mean uniformity but protecting the dignity of every place. Whether new or experienced in the political field, everyone should refrain from such sensitive and confusing statements."
Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi also commented on the issue. He said he had taken up the matter with Gogoi. "People who enter a responsible party, especially at the level of a leader, should say things very responsibly," Bordoloi remarked. "This person who joined—I don't know him very well—maybe he was not able to express properly what he wanted to say."
The Final Resignation
Facing mounting criticism, Sarkar submitted his resignation from the Congress party on Wednesday. In his resignation letter, he called Saika and Bordoloi "BJP agents." He stated their statements caused him "deep moral and ideological anguish."
"Their stance on recent issues has, in my considered view, demoralised me and has maligned my image in the public fora," Sarkar wrote. "In these circumstances, I find it difficult to continue my association with the party in the presence of BJP agents like Debabrata Saika and Pradyut Bordoloi."
The entire episode unfolded over just seventy-two hours. It highlights the sensitive communal and geographical dynamics in Assam's politics. A speech intended to promote unity instead triggered a political storm. This led to one of the shortest political affiliations in recent state history.
