Prominent Citizens Petition Gauhati High Court to Take Suo Motu Cognisance of Assam CM’s “Hate Speech”

A group of 43 leading citizens, including prominent academicians, retired officials, and religious leaders, has formally urged the Gauhati High Court to take suo motu cognisance of repeated “hate speech” and “constitutional impropriety” by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Justice on February 5, 2026, the signatories—which include intellectual Hiren Gohain, former DGP Harekrishna Deka, and former Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil—expressed deep concern over the CM’s recent public statements targeting the Bengal-origin Muslim community, known as the ‘Miya’ community. The citizens argued that these remarks, which allegedly encouraged social humiliation and economic discrimination, violate the constitutional oath of office and undermine the secular fabric of the state.

The petition highlights specific instances where the Chief Minister allegedly claimed that four to five lakh “Miya” voters would be removed during the upcoming electoral roll revisions and suggested that the community should be made to “suffer.” The representation contends that such statements from the state’s highest executive authority interfere with a quasi-judicial process and amount to the dehumanization of a specific community. By seeking judicial intervention, the group aims to ensure the registration of cases against the CM as per Supreme Court mandates on hate speech, while calling for the protection of the dignity and security of all citizens regardless of their background.