A leading minorities' student organisation of Assam on Thursday wrote to state governor LP Acharya to remove Cabinet minister Ashok Singhal for purportedly exhorting his followers to "economically boycott a particular community".
The organisation also accused the minister of allegedly demeaning bhaona, a traditional performing art form created by revered Vaishnavite saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva.
Singhal has been in the news after a video where he recently made some remarks about the Miya community (Bengali-speaking Muslims) in Assam, went viral few days ago.
In its memorandum, the All Assam Minorities Students’ Union (AAMSU) said the purported video where Singhal is attacking the “particular community” is being widely circulated on social media and TV channels where Singhal has made “highly communally sensitive, hate-filled comments against a particular community”.
In the video, Singhal is purportedly heard saying: “Have you allowed Miyas to set up shop (at the bhaona event) this time. Do not let out shops to Miya people. Give shops to our boys. What is the role of a Miya in our festival? Our boys do not enter Eid.”
The AAMSU said: “His comments are indecent and have hurt the the religious sentiments of people throughout the state of Assam as he is seen indecently directing his listeners and followers to economically boycott a particularly community in the video.”
“Besides being unconstitutional, his acts are prima facie notorious and criminal in nature. Therefore, you are humbly requested to do necessary for removal of Shri Ashok Singhal from Assam cabinet as he is an unfit person to hold the Constitutional post,” the AAMSU memorandum said.
