BJPs Hindutva Welfare Mix Wins Over Assam Voters

Assam Assembly Election: BJP Campaigns on Welfare Schemes and Anti-Muslim Policies

Amoiya Medhi attended an election rally organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in her hometown in Assam, India. The event was held on March 29, ahead of the state assembly election scheduled for Thursday. Thousands of men and women gathered at the rally, which featured Nitin Nabin, the BJP’s national president.

At the rally, Nabin highlighted several welfare schemes launched by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government, including Orunodoi, a direct benefit transfer scheme that provided 9,000 rupees to nearly four million women in March. The largest such disbursement in the state’s history was made just before the election.

Medhi, who is 38 years old, expressed her support for the BJP, citing the government’s efforts to benefit everyone, including women. Dozens of other women attending the rally also mentioned receiving benefits from various schemes.

Chief Minister Sarma has been accused of pursuing a hardline Hindu supremacist agenda and targeting Muslims in his campaign. The state’s Muslim population constitutes 34% of its 31 million people, with many speaking Bengali instead of Assamese.

The BJP has long labelled Bengali-speaking Muslims as “foreigners” and accused them of being undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh. Special tribunals were established to try these individuals, and thousands have been declared “doubtful” voters.

In the run-up to the election, the BJP has used financial aid and welfare schemes as a major draw for its supporters. Champa Hira, another woman attending the rally, stated that her support for the party goes beyond financial benefits, citing the need to protect Hindu identity.

The BJP’s campaign in Assam is focused on these issues, with Chief Minister Sarma seeking a third consecutive term. The election is scheduled for Thursday.

Source: Al Jazeera