An FIR has been filed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mayur Borgohain from Charaideo district in eastern Assam, following serious allegations of assault and threats against Bengali-origin Muslim workers.
The complaint, lodged by nine workers, accuses Borgohain’s associates of attacking them after Assamese nationalist groups called for Miya Muslims to leave Upper Assam.
“Miya Muslims” is a term used for Muslims of Bengali origin, who are often wrongly labeled as “illegal immigrants.” Upper Assam, a key region in Assamese politics, is home to a diverse range of ethnic communities.
The FIR, registered on August 26, includes charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, encompassing unlawful assembly, rioting, being armed with deadly weapons, causing hurt, promoting enmity, and criminal intimidation. The workers, hailing from Barpeta district in western Assam, were employed by Borgohain for the construction of a skill development center in Charaideo.
Rajibul Hoque, one of the workers, reported that despite repeated reminders, Borgohain had not paid the outstanding bill of Rs 15 lakh. On the night of August 24, around 10:30 p.m., a group of 14 to 15 masked men, allegedly acting on Borgohain’s orders, forced the workers to kneel and assaulted them with daggers, guns, sticks, and plastic pipes. The attackers threatened to kill the workers and demanded they leave the district without claiming their unpaid wages.
The victims, identified as Rajibul Hoque, Ahadul Khan, Aminul Hoque, Amirul Hoque, Surot Jamal, Asir Uddin, Saddam Hussain, Ali Hassan, and Asabul Hoque, provided a video of the assault along with their complaint. Fearing further violence, they fled the district that same night and are expected to record their statements with the police within the next three days.
This incident comes in the wake of recent remarks by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who voiced opposition to the migration of Miya Muslims to Upper Assam, stating, “We will not allow Assam to become Miyaland.”