New Delhi, Aug 25 Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has strongly criticised activist and former Planning Commission member Syeda Saiyidain Hameed for her recent comments suggesting that Bangladeshis have a right to live in Assam.
Taking to the social media platform X, Rijiju condemned her remarks, calling them “misleading in the name of humanity” and accused her of undermining India’s sovereignty and identity.
Quoting her video, Rijiju posted, “Misleading in the name of humanity. It’s about our land and identity. Why the minority Buddhists, Christians, Hindus & Sikhs in Bangladesh and Pakistan are persecuted & tortured? Sayeda Hameed may be closest to Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi but shouldn't support illegal migrants.”
The minister’s reaction came in response to a viral video in which Syeda Hameed, who served as a member of the Planning Commission during the UPA government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, claimed that "Bangladeshis are humans too and have a right to live in India".
During her recent visit to Assam amid the ongoing eviction drives and actions against illegal immigrants, Hameed stated, “What is wrong if they are Bangladeshis? Bangladeshis are also humans. Earth is so large, Bangladeshis can live here. Not depriving anyone’s rights.”
She further said, “Allah has made this earth for humans, not for devils. If a person is standing on earth, to evict them is quamat (apocalypse) for Muslims.”
She accused the Assam government of bringing doom upon Muslims by labelling them as Bangladeshis and claimed that arguments suggesting illegal immigrants are depriving Indian citizens of their rights are “extremely mischievous and detrimental to humanity”.
Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh and has long advocated for national security and border integrity, lashed out at what he called an attempt to normalise illegal immigration.
The comments have reignited political tensions, with BJP leaders accusing Congress-linked intellectuals and activists of justifying illegal immigration in the name of secularism and humanity.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has also come down heavily on forces trying to support the illegal immigrants.
In a social media post on Sunday, CM Sarma said that there was a planned attempt to weaken the fight against illegal encroachers.
"After Jamaat-e-Hind’s outburst demanding my dismissal yesterday, a Delhi-based team — Harsh Mander, Wajahat Habibullah, Fayaz Shaheen, Prashant Bhushan, and Jawahar Sircar — is now camping in Assam. Their sole aim is to paint the lawful evictions as so-called “humanitarian crisis.” This is nothing but a planned attempt to weaken our fight against illegal encroachers. We are alert and firm — no propaganda or pressure will stop us from protecting our land and culture," CM Sarma wrote on X.
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