Communist parties move Supreme Court against Assam CM for comments against community

The plea, filed by Communist Party of India (Marxist) urged the court to take cognisance of a sustained pattern of hate speeches delivered by Sarma, who presently holds the constitutional office of the Assam CM.

New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI) have filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his alleged comments targeting a particular community.

On Tuesday, advocate Nizam Pasha mentioned the matter before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, seeking urgent listing.

He sought urgent intervention of the court with respect to disturbing speeches made by the sitting CM of Assam, including a recent video posted, where he is shown as shooting at members of a particular community. He claimed that complaints were filed, but no FIR was registered.

The bench, however, said, "Problem is, as and when elections come, a part of the elections is fought inside the Supreme Court. That is the problem. We will find out...will give a date."

The plea, filed by Communist Party of India (Marxist) urged the court to take cognisance of a sustained pattern of hate speeches delivered by Sarma, who presently holds the constitutional office of the Chief Minister of the state of Assam.

It claimed that speeches target, terrorise, and instigate hostility and overt violence against the Muslim community residing in Assam.

The plea said Sarma has, on numerous occasions, delivered public speeches and made statements—both within and beyond the territorial limits of the state—which have been widely disseminated across print, electronic, and digital media platforms.

“These statements, viewed cumulatively, constitute ex facie hate speech since they degrade and demean a minority, propagate false and stigmatising stereotypes, incite social and economic boycott, and encourage conditions of exclusion and violence against the said community,” the plea said.

“Most recently—and in perhaps the most blatant and disturbing manifestation of the impugned pattern complained of in the present petition—there has circulated in the public domain a video, posted on February 7, 2026, from the official handle of the BJP, Assam on X (formerly Twitter), namely, ‘BJP Assam Pradesh’ (@BJP4Assam) and thereafter widely disseminated, depicting respondent no. 4 discharging a firearm toward an animated image of two visibly Muslim men positioned within the crosshairs of the weapon, following which their photograph is shown as being struck by successive gunshots," it added.

It also attached the screenshots, claiming that the video was accompanied by, and in parts overlaid with, textual phrases such as “point blank shot” and “no mercy”.

The plea said that when viewed in its surrounding factual and political context, the cumulative symbolic and visual rhetoric embodied in the said material serves to reinforce and amplify a climate of hostility, exclusion, and intimidation directed against the minority community.

“It is pertinent to note that following severe backlash over this video, it was removed from the official handle of BJP’s state unit; nevertheless, the material continues to be widely circulated and disseminated through multiple other accounts and platforms,” the plea said.

The plea sought a direction for registration of FIR and the initiation of investigation under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and other applicable laws.

It also sought a direction for the transfer of investigation in respect of any FIRs that may have been lodged or may be registered in future in relation to the cognisable offences disclosed herein to the special investigation team or to such other independent authority or mechanism as this court may deem fit and proper in the interests of justice.