Sun Feb 08 11:17:32 UTC 2026: # Assam BJP Deletes Controversial Video Depicting CM Shooting at Images of Muslims Amidst Election Campaign
The Story:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam deleted a video from its social media platforms on February 7, 2026, depicting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma seemingly shooting at framed photographs of Muslims, one of which appeared to be Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi. The video, captioned ‘Point blank shot,’ quickly garnered over 500,000 views before its removal and sparked widespread condemnation from opposition leaders, activists, and legal professionals, who decried it as promoting hatred and incitement to violence. The incident occurred ahead of Assembly elections and amid the BJP’s ongoing campaign against “illegal immigrants,” a term often used to refer to Bengali-speaking settlers in Assam.
Key Points:
* The BJP’s Assam unit posted and then deleted a video showing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appearing to shoot at photos of Muslims.
* The video, captioned “Point blank shot,” featured an image resembling Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi wearing a skullcap.
* Opposition leaders, activists, and legal professionals condemned the video as promoting hatred and inciting violence against Muslims.
* Congress leaders, including K.C. Venugopal and Supriya Shrinate, described the video as a “call to genocide” and accused the BJP of being “mass murderers.”
* Lawyer Prashant Bhushan urged the Supreme Court to take suo-motu cognisance of the video.
* The video was posted before Assembly elections and amid the party’s campaign against ‘illegal immigrants’.
Critical Analysis:
The timing of the video’s release, just before Assembly elections and during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, suggests a calculated move to polarize voters along religious lines. The fact that the video was deleted implies an awareness of its problematic nature, but the initial posting and subsequent reactions highlight the increasingly divisive rhetoric employed by the BJP in Assam. The accusations of promoting hatred and inciting violence are serious and reflect deep-seated concerns about the marginalization and demonization of the Muslim community in the region, particularly within the context of ongoing debates about citizenship and immigration. The related news item on February 8, 2026, alleging a “deeper connection” between Gaurav Gogoi and a Pakistani agent, further underscores the environment of suspicion and accusation.
Key Takeaways:
* The video represents a significant escalation in divisive rhetoric within Assam’s political landscape.
* The incident underscores the heightened tensions between the BJP and the Congress, particularly concerning issues of identity and immigration in Assam.
* The swift condemnation from opposition parties and legal professionals indicates a growing awareness of the potential for such content to incite violence and hatred.
* The video highlights the vulnerability of social media platforms to the spread of polarizing content and the challenges of holding political actors accountable for such material.
* The incident raises concerns about the integrity of the upcoming Assembly elections and the potential for manipulation through divisive rhetoric.
Impact Analysis:
This incident has the potential for far-reaching consequences. Firstly, it could further exacerbate existing social divisions and fuel communal tensions in Assam, a state with a history of ethnic and religious conflict. Secondly, the legal challenges and calls for investigation could lead to increased scrutiny of the BJP’s activities in Assam and potentially impact its electoral prospects. Thirdly, the international attention generated by the video could damage India’s reputation for religious tolerance, especially given the timing of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Malaysia. Longer-term, the incident underscores the need for stronger regulations on online political content and a more robust system of accountability for political actors who incite hatred and violence.
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