The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) on Friday lodged multiple FIRs across at least 15 districts of the state against activist and former Planning Commission member Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, accusing her of making ‘anti-Assamese and divisive’ remarks.
According to AJP leaders, the FIRs were registered in police stations across Guwahati city and other districts of the state, demanding Hameed’s immediate arrest for allegedly attempting to disrupt communal harmony in the state.
The controversy erupted after Hameed, during a visit to Guwahati on August 24, reportedly remarked, “What is wrong if they are Bangladeshis? Bangladeshis are also humans. Earth is so large, Bangladeshis can live in Assam”, and defended the presence of illegal immigrants.
A day later in Delhi, she allegedly described Assam as a “dangerous place” and accused the Assamese community of playing the role of ‘Frankenstein’.
The AJP had earlier claimed that Hameed’s remarks echoed the “propaganda script” of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s family-owned media network, pointing to her reported ‘close association’ with a journalist employed there.
Calling her remarks an insult to the Assamese community and a deliberate attempt to stoke ethnic conflict, AJP district committees filed FIRs in various police stations. Among the districts where FIRs have been lodged are Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, Nagaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Bajali, Barpeta, Nalbari, and Karimganj.
The FIRs accuse Hameed of hurting the sentiments of the Assamese people, attempting to create divisions between communities, and destabilising social harmony. The complaints seek her prosecution under sections 195, 353, and 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with other relevant provisions of law.
AJP leaders reiterated that unless strong legal action is taken, Hameed’s remarks could embolden forces trying to disturb Assam’s peace and communal balance.
