On Sunday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the BJP won't require the support of the 'Miya' people residing in the 'char' areas for the next decade, as long as they undergo reforms and abandon practices like child marriage. Nevertheless, Sarma acknowledged that the 'Miya' community expresses support for him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the BJP, and they are welcome to vocalize their endorsement without necessarily casting votes for the party.
"BJP will do public welfare and they will support us, but they don't need to vote for us. There is no harm in supporting us. Let them shout 'zindabad' for Himanta Biswa Sarma, Narendra Modi and BJP," he told reporters in response to a question, as reported by India Today.
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'Miya' is a colloquial term employed to denote individuals who are Bengali-speaking Muslims.
The Chief Minister said, "When elections come, I myself will request them not to vote for us. Vote for us if you follow family planning, stop child marriage and shed fundamentalism."
"To complete these, it will take 10 years. We will seek votes after 10 years, not now."
He mentioned that those who choose to vote for him and the BJP should adhere to certain criteria: limiting their family size to no more than two or three children, ensuring that their daughters receive an education, refraining from child marriages, and embracing Sufism while moving away from fundamentalism.
