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Opposition parties in Assam have lodged a police complaint against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of inciting communal tension and promoting enmity based on religion and race. The complaint, filed on Wednesday by Lurinjyoti Gogoi, general secretary of the United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA), was registered at Dispur police station. Gogoi was accompanied by leaders from other parties within the Forum, an alliance of 18 parties aligned with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

The complaint alleges that Himanta Biswa Sarma's statements, including his recent comments that he would not let 'Miya' Muslims "take over" Assam are designed to provoke communal unrest, specifically targeting a particular community, which the UOFA claims could lead to riot-like situations in the state. 

"We are lodging this FIR against Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, who happens to be the Chief Minister of the state, for trying to promote enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and race," the complaint read.

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The filing highlighted a recent gang-rape incident in Dhing, which sparked widespread condemnation and protests. The UOFA accused the chief minister of using the incident to fan communal tensions by blaming a specific religious minority, leading to attacks on individuals from this community in Sivasagar by BJP workers and leaders.

According to the UOFA, Himanta Sarma’s provocative behavior is part of a broader conspiracy to create unrest in Assam for political gain. The complaint also references Sarma's history of inflammatory statements, including an incident where he allegedly called for the eviction of members of a specific religious community, referred to derogatorily as 'Miya,' from Guwahati. The term 'Miya' is often used pejoratively against Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam.

The UOFA further cited recent instances where CM Sarma allegedly targeted a journalist with communal undertones and accused a specific community of encroaching on land by forcing original inhabitants to leave through the deliberate consumption of beef.

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In their complaint, UOFA leaders, including Bhupen Borah, state Congress chief, urged the police to register a case against Sarma and his co-conspirators under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, warning that his actions could incite further violence if not curtailed. 

"We therefore request you to kindly register a case against the accused person and his co-conspirators under Section 61, 196 and 35(2) of the Bharatia Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and investigate," the complaint added.

The UOFA has also called for CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s removal from office and plans to petition the Supreme Court for an investigation into his and his family's allegedly "unaccounted" properties.

(With PTI Inputs)