A former president of the All Assam Students’ Union forged in the fire of jatiyatabadi (Assamese nationalism), Sarbananda Sonowal’s political graph began rising after he played a major role in getting the allegedly pro-foreigners Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act scrapped. His five years at the helm of a BJP-led alliance government largely escaped corruption charges but it faced challenges such as the publication of the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The 59-year-old bachelor is seeking re-election from Majuli, an “island” Assembly constituency. Excerpts:
You approached the election with a call to eject the Mughals from Assam. Does this indicate the BJP has no space for Muslims, who are almost 35% of the State’s population?
It is a myth that the BJP is anti-Muslim. We strongly believe in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s credo of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas’ (development for all, gaining everyone’s trust). Nobody has been deprived of any scheme. Benefits have reached every household irrespective of religion, caste and creed because we have upheld the spirit of democracy and the principle of secularism. But we have to identify the enemies of Assam. We will never allow certain forces that are a threat to the nation to raise their heads, threaten relationships, art, culture, land, language.
But your rivals say CAA, which they claim would open the floodgates for Hindu Bangladeshis, is a bigger cultural and linguistic threat.
They are making a mountain out of a molehill called CAA. Some elements spun a web of lies around CAA to fulfil their selfish interests. Some said CAA will bring in 1 crore (Hindu Bangladeshis), some said 2 crore. But their lies were exposed in time. The people saw through that and gave us a clear mandate in the panchayat polls (December 2018), the tribal council polls (January 2019) and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. People know CAA does not harm the country’s integrity. And we are not the first to amend it. Congress did it too.
Why do you think people will vote for you again?
Because after we came to power, they saw the end of anarchy, corruption, nepotism, terror, reign of middlemen and the start of good governance, peace, proper implementation of schemes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure completed in record time, people receiving 100% benefits after elimination of fake beneficiaries passed on as a Congress legacy. We took on corruption head-on, closed down 156 illegal check gates on national highways, investigating agencies were given a free hand. This was reflected in the transparent recruitment of sub-inspectors of police, the conduction of the Assam Public Service Commission exams. We checked rhino poaching, fast-tracked punishment for poachers, freed forests and satra (Vaishnav monastery) land of encroachment. We cannot claim to have been perfect, but people have seen us deliver in housing, midday meal, old age and widow pension and various other schemes. We have addressed issues that matter the most to people. These are the reasons why people want us to hold the reins again. There is no anti-incumbency.
Don’t you think the wage hike issue may affect the BJP in the tea-growing areas where your rivals have made it an issue?
Our tea community brothers and sisters know we are their true friends. We raised their daily wage by ₹80. Congress has no moral right to talk about wages. By how much did they hike in 55 years? The tea workers have been loyal to us and we will reward them for loyalty.
The BJP was part of the only alliance that took on individual parties in 2016. You are facing an eight-party alliance headed by the Congress and a regional front this time. Do you foresee a tough fight?
The Congress and the AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front led by perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal) always had an unholy alliance. Only this time it is official. I had always said they are two sides of the same coin, their ideologies and principles the same. They don’t raise the voice for the greater Assamese people, the Indians at heart. They always work to endanger the existence of our people, never in the interest of the nation. People have understood their design and will reject them despite bringing so many parties on board. As for the new parties (Assam Jatiya Parishad and jailed activist Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal), people have seen many such. People are wise enough to know which party or alliance can give them stability, peace and development.
