A video from a Congress rally in Bongaigaon, Assam, on April 5 has sparked controversy after leader Kanhaiya Kumar accused the BJP of sheltering the state’s “biggest infiltrator” from Gujarat and directly targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Speaking to supporters ahead of polling, Kumar said, “All thieves have gathered together and joined the BJP. The head of these thieves is the father of Jay Shah,” and added that “the biggest infiltrator has come from Gujarat, and he needs to be chased out of here along with Himanta Biswa Sarma.”
Kumar’s remarks came amid a tense campaign over illegal immigration, a persistent flashpoint in Assam politics. BJP leaders, including Shah, have campaigned on promises to prevent the state from becoming an “infiltrator-dominated region,” making questions of identity and migration central to the election narrative.
The outburst follows a separate uproar over Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks in Kerala last week, in which he suggested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan could “fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or in other places,” but not Kerala’s educated voters. Kharge later apologised on X, saying: “Some remarks of mine in a recent election speech in Kerala are being deliberately misinterpreted. Even so, I express my sincere regret. It was never my intention to hurt the sentiments of the people of Gujarat for whom I have always had and will continue to have the highest of respect.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma framed the recent polls as a broader “movement” to defend the state’s culture, values and land. After voting ended on April 9, he hailed what he described as unprecedented turnout, claiming participation was “crossing 95 per cent” in many booths. The Election Commission confirmed a record 85.38 per cent voter turnout for the assembly elections, surpassing the previous high of 84.67 per cent in 2016.
The high participation underscores the stakes as parties vie over identity, infiltration and demographic change in Assam, with heated rhetoric from both sides amplifying tensions in the run-up to results.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/elections/story/biggest-infiltrator-has-come-from-gujarat-must-be-chased-out-with-himanta-kanhaiya-kumar-in-assam-rally-1373704-2026-04-10?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-04-10 18:13:00
