New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Monday refused to hear a petition seeking action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over a viral video allegedly showing him aiming and firing a rifle at members of a particular community.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Suryakant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi asked the petitioners to approach the Gauhati High Court instead. The bench observed that such matters often surface ahead of elections and noted that this trend is becoming increasingly common. Referring to the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, the court remarked that electoral battles are sometimes fought even before the formal process begins.
The controversy stems from a video that the Congress party claimed was posted on January 8 from the Assam BJP’s official X handle. According to Congress, the video depicted Sarma allegedly firing at two individuals, one wearing a skullcap and the other sporting a beard, with a caption that read “point-blank shot.” The party alleged that the clip promoted targeted violence against minorities and claimed that it was later deleted.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate shared the video on her X handle, criticising the BJP and raising questions about institutional accountability. She accused the ruling party of spreading hate and inciting violence.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also condemned the alleged post, calling it an appeal for mass violence and sharply criticising the BJP’s stance.
Separately, Sarma has faced criticism in the past over remarks concerning the “Miya” community, a term often used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam and considered derogatory by many. On January 27, he had stated that during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, several lakh names of alleged “Miya” voters could be removed. He also made controversial comments suggesting that such individuals should ideally vote in Bangladesh rather than Assam.
The remarks had drawn political backlash, with opposition leaders accusing him of targeting minorities. Sarma, however, has maintained that his government is acting in accordance with the law.
