Former member of the Planning Commission Syeda Hameed is a powerful voice in activism. Now, she is hitting headlines for her statements concerning Bangladeshis in Assam. This remark was made in Delhi while speaking at a seminar. Concern raised by Hameed was how the Muslims of Assam are seen as Bangladeshis. Later became a viral statement, she said, “What is the crime in being a Bangladeshi. Bangladeshis are also humans…they are not depriving anyone of their rights.”
Street Protests and Public Outrage
These comments ignited protests by members of the Hindu Sena outside the Constitutional Club of Delhi where she attended the seminar titled, The State of the Nation with Special Reference to Assam. Protesters accused Hameed of supporting illegal infiltration, carrying placards that criticized the culture and identity of Assam.
ALSO READ: PM Modi’s Japan Visit: Tokyo to Double Investment, Boost Defence & Tech Ties
There were slogans stating, keep Assam free of ghuspaithiyon (infiltrators). According to police officials, the protest involved about ten people and was quickly dispersed, although the demonstration reflected the deep sensitivities surrounding the issue.
Chief Minister Sarma’s Sharp Response
Slammed by the outspoken Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, over her remarks, Hameed allegedly gave credence to infiltration while causing a dent in Assamese identity. Sarma even connected Hameed’s taunt to an attempt to “actualize Jinnah’s dream of joining Assam to Pakistan.”
The Chief Minster further insisted that Assam is now or never open to the Bangladeshis and that “the cultural and demographic foundation of the state is under threat.” With a reference to Assam’s historic Ahom general Lachit Barphukan, Sarma vouched never to spare any effort towards protecting Assam’s identity.
Hameed’s Defense and Clarification
The backlash that ensued, Hameed defended her stance saying that her words have been misinterpreted. She insists that it is humanitarian, nothing political, that displaced people deserve dignity and not hostility.
She has attacked the way Bangladeshi has come to become an epithet in public discourse and suggested dialogue as the more constructive way be it through negotiation or safe repatriation. According to her, the world was made for humans and compassion must guide policy.
A Clash of Identity and Humanity
This once again places a fundamental quandary preserving cultural identity with humanitarianism in front of Assam and indeed the nation. One of the biggest political and social issues for Assam remains illegal immigration.
However, for activists like Hameed, the human aspect of displacement has to find its place in the debate. It sharpens the divide between the two camps who want to take tough measures against infiltration and those, who prefer a more humanitarian approach, so certainly, the identities, rights and humanity debate is far from over.
ALSO READ: Mamata Banerjee Hits Out at Centre, Warns Bengali Language Cannot Be Ignored
