Guwahati: The Congress party on Sunday slammed the BJP for allegedly promoting communal hatred after a video surfaced on the Assam unit’s official X account, showing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma purportedly aiming a rifle at two individuals identified as minorities. The party has demanded urgent legal action in response.
The now-removed video, captioned “point-blank shot,” appeared to depict Sarma firing at two people, one wearing a skull cap and the other sporting a beard. Congress described the clip as a direct instigation of violence, warning that it cannot be dismissed as mere online trolling.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal described the video as a serious escalation of hate speech, claiming that the official BJP account appeared to show deliberate targeting of minorities and warning that it represented a dangerous call to genocide .
Venugopal urged swift judicial intervention, warning that the video was more than just online trolling. He described it as a dangerous message coming from the top and stressed that the judiciary must take strict action without showing any leniency.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate criticized the deletion of the clip, saying it did not remove the BJP’s responsibility. “This video reflects the BJP’s true face, spreading hatred and violence. Mr Modi, are courts and institutions watching?” she tweeted.
Shama Mohammed, another party spokesperson, accused the BJP of flouting constitutional values. “Prime Minister Modi speaks of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’ yet his trusted minister Himanta Biswa Sarma released a video targeting Muslims via BJP Assam’s official account. This is an attack on India’s Constitution. The Supreme Court’s silence raises serious concerns,” she said.
Other opposition leaders also condemned the BJP and criticized the Election Commission. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi described the video as “one of the most hate-driven posts ever,” noting that although it was deleted, it had already been widely shared. She further accused the Election Commission of failing to act, calling it “toothless and ineffective in the face of BJP’s political targeting.”
The ruling party has remained silent regarding these accusations.