Video depicts BJP leader firing at Muslim figures in India
A BJP video depicting Assam chief minister firing at Muslim figures has drawn outrage, legal complaints, and warnings of incitement
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has come under intense scrutiny after its Assam unit shared a video on social media depicting Hindu hardliner Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma symbolically aiming and firing weapons at representations of Muslims, prompting accusations of hate speech and calls for legal action.
The video, posted on the official X account of the Assam BJP, features Sarma in staged, cinematic sequences pointing firearms at figures identified with Muslims, accompanied by slogans calling for a “foreigner-free Assam” and statements questioning why Muslims have not “left for Pakistan.”
Other captions invoke phrases such as “no mercy” and “no pardon for Bangladeshis,” language widely associated with anti-Muslim and anti-migrant rhetoric in the state.
Assam, a northeastern Indian state bordering Bangladesh, has long been a focal point of political campaigns centered on allegations of “illegal Bangladeshi” migration — a narrative that rights groups and analysts say is frequently used to stigmatize Bengali-speaking Muslims, many of whom are Indian citizens. The video’s imagery and messaging have heightened concerns among Muslim residents about intimidation and normalization of violence.
Civil society figures and minority representatives in Assam described the video as threatening and inflammatory, warning that it reinforces fear among Muslims already facing surveillance, documentation drives, and eviction campaigns.
Rights groups said the portrayal of a sitting chief minister enacting violence against a religious community crosses a dangerous line between political messaging and incitement.
The controversy has also revived scrutiny of Sarma’s past remarks. In recent years, he has made repeated statements targeting Muslims, including comments endorsing aggressive tactics during voter-roll revisions and remarks suggesting economic pressure against Muslim workers. Analysts say the video reflects a broader pattern of rhetoric aimed at portraying Muslims as outsiders or security threats.
Opposition leaders accused the BJP of deliberately escalating communal polarization ahead of elections in Assam, arguing that the use of violent symbolism against minorities undermines constitutional protections and democratic norms.
The controversy has also prompted formal legal action. Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, a former member of parliament from Assam, said the video violated constitutional principles and announced plans to seek intervention from India’s Supreme Court and the President, calling the imagery an explicit endorsement of violence.
Separately, Asaduddin Owaisi, a national opposition parliamentarian, filed a complaint with police in Hyderabad seeking criminal proceedings against Sarma, arguing that the video amounted to public incitement against a religious community.
The BJP has not issued a formal response explaining or withdrawing the video. The post continues to circulate widely online, drawing international attention as human rights advocates warn that the normalization of anti-Muslim violence in political messaging risks further destabilizing communal relations in one of India’s most sensitive regions.
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