Madani''s visit to Assam part of ''political ploy'', claims AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi

Dibrugarh (Assam), Sep 2 (PTI) AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi on Tuesday alleged that All India Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind chief Mahmood A Madani's visit to Assam was part of a larger "political ploy aimed at creating communal tension" in the state.

Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of "attempting to use the episode for his own advantage", and urged the people of Assam to "remain vigilant so that no outside force, whether Hindu or Muslim communal elements, can poison the state's harmony".

The Assam Jatiya Parishad chief claimed that anxiety among people had been prevailing since the news of Madani's visit to the state surfaced.

He also alleged that Assam has often witnessed communal unrest following "provocative remarks by Delhi-based religious leaders".

"After several attempts failed, a new strategy was adopted to physically bring Madani to Assam. Madani also held discussions with AIUDF functionaries," Gogoi claimed.

The opposition leader also alleged that the "plan was that Madani would visit Goalpara via West Bengal, return through Guwahati airport, drop a political bomb in a press conference and leave for Delhi, allowing Sarma to exploit the fallout".

"Madani knows well that if he utters any inflammatory word, like in the case of Syeda Hameed, we will file cases across Assam. He also knows that while the current government may shield him, a future government may not. Perhaps out of fear or due to a changed strategy, he said nothing provocative this time, and Assam was saved," the AJP president claimed.

A day after he visited areas in Goalpara, where eviction drives were conducted, Madani addressed a press conference on Tuesday and demanded that eviction drives being carried out by the Assam government should follow the rules laid down by the Supreme Court.

Reacting to this, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma warned Madani of arrest if the Islamic scholar "crosses his limits". PTI TR TR BDC