Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Friday, ramped up his attack on the Congress, asserting that the party must clearly state whether it stands with the indigenous Assamese people or with illegal migrants, whom he described as “Miya”, a term he said referred to the Muslim population who have crossed over from Bangladesh into the state.Speaking to reporters after attending a programme in Dergaon, Chief Minister Sarma said the debate over illegal migration and identity in Assam could no longer be brushed aside and warned that political ambiguity on the issue could fuel unrest. “The Congress must make its position unambiguous.
They should say clearly whether they stand with Assamese society or with illegal settlers,” the Chief Minister said. Raising an alarm over what he described as rapid demographic shifts, Chief Minister Sarma claimed that illegal settlers, once largely concentrated in districts such as Barpeta and Dhubri, have now spread to Upper Assam, including areas like Duliajan and Margherita.