Floods have created massive devastation in Indian state of Assam, wreaking havoc and leaving millions of residents displaced and facing dire conditions.
However, amidst the natural disaster, concerns about the treatment of certain communities, particularly Muslims, have arisen, with allegations of biased actions by the state government and authorities, reported Muslim Mirror.
A Muslim woman named Rahima Khatun lost her life during a confrontation between evicted residents and forest department officials on Monday.
The clash occurred when the displaced individuals returned to their makeshift settlement due to flooding in the area.
Alongside Rahima Khatun’s death, three more individuals were wounded in the forest guards’ gunfire during the incident, while three forest guards themselves also sustained injuries.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), there have been accusations of anti-Muslim sentiment and discriminatory statements making headlines in the media.
The alleged divisive rhetoric by the Chief Minister has raised concerns about the welfare and security of the Muslim population in Assam.
The Assam Police has also come under scrutiny for its reported actions against Muslims, with daily incidents being reported that have further deepened the apprehension among the minority community.
These actions have added to the distress of the flood-affected population who are already grappling with the devastation caused by the natural calamity.
As the flood situation continues to worsen, millions of people have been compelled to take refuge in makeshift shelters in protected areas.
Regrettably, these shelters lack adequate resources, with limited access to food and insufficient government aid reaching them in a timely manner.
Consequently, some displaced individuals have sought temporary shelter on land under the forest department’s jurisdiction.