Himanta Biswa Sarma

Himanta Biswa Sarma(born 1 February 1969) is an Indian politician and lawyer serving as the 15th and currentChief Minister of Assamsince 2021. A former member of theIndian National Congress, Sarma joined theBharatiya Janata Partyon 23 August 2015 and soon was madeconvenorofNEDA.He is a five timeMember of the Assam Legislative AssemblyfromJalukbari, having been elected since 2001.
Sarma was born on 1 February 1969 inJorhat,Assam, the family, including sixsiblings, later shifted toUlubari, Gandhibasti inGuwahati.He belongs to anAssamesefamily which traces its origins to Latima inNalbari district.Sarma married Riniki Bhuyan Sarma in 2001, with whom he has a son, Nandil Biswa Sarma,who attendedThe Doon School,and a daughter, Sukanya Sarma, who attendedMayo College Girls School.
Sarma was educated at Kamrup Academy School, Guwahati in 1985 and joinedCotton College, Guwahati(now known as Cotton University) for his undergraduate education.He was elected the General Secretary ofCotton College Students Union, three times in 1988-89, 1989–90, and 1991-1992.Sarma is the seventh chief minister of Assam from Cotton University.
He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1990 and Master of Arts in 1992, both inpolitical science, from the university.Thereafter, Sarma obtained aBachelor of Lawsfrom Government Law College, Guwahati, and became a solicitor in 1995. He practised law at theGauhati High Courtfrom 1996 to 2001. In 2006, he completed aDoctorate of Philosophyin political science fromGauhati Universityon the topic North Eastern Council:A structural and functional analysis, defending his dissertation shortly before he was elected to public office.
Sarma was elected to theAssam Legislative AssemblyfromJalukbarifor the first time in 2001 when he defeatedAsom Gana ParishadleaderBhrigu Kumar Phukan. He was re-elected in 2006, then in 2011 for a third consecutive term with a 78,000 vote margin.Sarma held important portfolios (both state and cabinet) as Minister of State for Agriculture, Planning and Development, Finance, Health, Education, andAssam AccordImplementation from 2002 to 2014.
He was made Cabinet Minister for Health in 2006, and in 2011 he was also entrusted with the additional charge of Education.During his tenure, three medical colleges inJorhat,BarpetaandTezpurwere built.He also initiated work for five more medical colleges inDiphu,Nagaon,Dhubri,North LakhimpurandKokrajhar, which are now in various startup stages.
After political disagreements with the former chief ministerTarun Gogoi, Sarma resigned from all positions on 21 July 2014. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of theJalukbariconstituency until his resignation from the Assembly on 15 September 2015.Sarma joinedBharatiya Janata Partyon 23 August 2015 at the residence ofAmit ShahatNew Delhi.He was appointed the party's Convener of the Election Management Committee for the upcoming Assembly Elections in the state.In May 2016, Sarma won theJalukbari constituencyfor the fourth consecutive term and was sworn in as Cabinet Minister on 24 May inSonowal ministry, in the first BJP Government inNorth East India. He was allotted portfolios like Finance, Health & Family Welfare, Education, Planning & Development, Tourism, Pension & Public Grievances.
On 23 April 2017, Sarma was unanimously elected as President ofBadminton Association of India. Sarma has been the president of the Assam Badminton Association. He also became the president of theAssam Cricket Associationin June 2016 when his party man Pradip Buragohain became the secretary. Sarma was also the longest-serving vice-president of the association serving from 2002 to 2016.
On 25 March 2022, Sarma was re-elected as the president ofBadminton Association of Indiafor a second term of four years from 2022 to 2026 in general body meeting in Guwahati.
On 8 May 2021, Sarma along with Chief MinisterSarbananda Sonowalwere summoned toNew Delhi, for discussions on the formation of a new government. Sarma and Sonowal held a series of meetings lasting more than 4 hours withBJP PresidentJ P NaddaandHome MinisterAmit Shah. On 9 May Sonowal tendered his resignation toGovernorJagadish Mukhi, ahead of a meeting the same day to decide the next Chief Minister.Sarma's name was proposed by the outgoing Sonowal, BJP state presidentRanjeet Kumar Dassand newly elected MLANandita Garlosa. As no other name was presented to be chief minister, Sarma was unanimously elected as the BJP legislature leader.
On 10 May 2021, Sarma was sworn in as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam by GovernorJagadish Mukhi, succeedingSonowal.He was congratulated byPrime MinisterNarendra Modion his appointment.
Sarma urgedthe Muslimcommunity to adopt decent family planning in June 2021. He also stressed the need for a new law against illegal cattle smuggling in Assam.Mission Basundhara was launched under Sarma in 2021; it aims at helping residents with issues related to land and property.Assam government under his leadership has announced decision of converting 740 Muslimmadrasasfunded by state to normal schools.
His government has demolished manyIslamicmadrasasin the state, alleging its association with terrorist groups and organisations.
On 26 July 2021Assam PoliceandMizoram Police(Mizoramis an adjacent state to Assam on its southern boundary) fired upon each other supposedly part of the decades-oldAssam-Mizoram border dispute. Assam lost sixpolicepersonnel and a civilian in the firefight, while one youth fromMizoramsuffered a gunshot wound. Both sides charged each other with opening fire first.
Reports from news media indicate that on 24 July 2021, Himanta Biswa Sarma andZoramthangahad a one-to-one talk about theboundary disputewhere both agreed to settle the matter amicably through talks. Before this could take place, and only two days after the two Chief Ministers held their talks, this incident took place.
Days afterskirmishwhich left dozens of others injured, theAssam governmenton 29 July 2021 issued atravel advisory, asking people of the statenotto travel toMizoram- the first such travel advisory ever, by a state in the independent India.Himanta retracted from this advisory a day later.Further, Assam's Home and Political Department said on 29 July that the police should carry out an intensive drive againstdrugsand check all vehicles entering intoAssamfromMizoram.
In November 2020, Biswa posted on social media, claiming that supporters ofAIUDFChief and DhubriMP,Badruddin Ajmalhad shouted slogans in support ofPakistanto greet him, on his arrival atSilchar airport. Biswa's claim was reiterated by an Assamese news channel, News Live, which is owned by Biswa's wife, and then also confirmed by several news channels and newspapers, includingTimes Now,CNN News18, andThe New Indian Express.Biswa's post was initially flagged byFacebookas misinformation but later this caution tag was removed and post was restored.Facebook's spokesperson toldThe Indian Expressthat the tag was erroneously put on Sarma’s post.Guwahati Police have since registered multipleFirst Information Reports,opened a case and arrested aAIUDFmember named Nasir Uddin.
In April 2021, Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that there is no need to wear masks in the state as there is no more coronavirus present in Assam when India was undergoing thesecond wave of COVID-19.
On 11 February 2022 while addressing a rally atUttarakhand, Sarma said toRahul Gandhi, "Did we ever ask you for proof of whether you areRajiv Gandhi's son or not?"His statements were criticised by thenChief Minister of Telangana,KCRfor using derogatory language against aMember of Parliamentand said these derogatory language should not be used by achief ministerof astate.TPCCpresidentRevanth Reddyfiled a complain atJubilee Hillspolice station ofHyderabad. A case has been registered under sections 504 and 505 (2) of theIndian Penal Codeagainst Himanta Biswa Sarma. Reddy said, "Himanta Biswa Sarma's remarks are humiliating for a woman" and asked "Why did theChief Electoral Officer of the National Election Commissionnot order the arrest of Himanta Biswa Sharma?". "BJP should remove Himanta Biswa from the post of Chief Minister. But the BJP is supporting the remarks of the Assam Chief Minister."On 19 September 2023,Uttarakhand High Courtsummoned Sarma for his remarks.
Though Sarma was implicated in the Manabendra Sarma case he was acquitted by the court.A Delhi-based advocate from Assam has lodged a complaint with theNational Human Rights Commission(NHRC) against theAssam police"on an encounter spree" since Sarma stated in the police conference that police should shoot alleged criminals at legs which are permitted by the law.
DuringPrime Minister Modi'svisit to theUnited Statesin June 2023, former PresidentObamamade comments about Muslims in India. In response, Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed withIslamophobicslur that there are many "Hussain Obama in India" (in reference to Obama's full name,Barack Hussein Obama II)  and his priority will be in dealing with them.This triggered extensive discussions in India and abroad.
In July 2023,an IndependentRajya Sabha memberfiled a police complaint against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of delivering a "hate speech" against the'Miya' community(Bengali-Muslim Community) who oftenare targets of communal attacks. Sarma had commented on high vegetable prices, stating that Miya vendors charge more inGuwahaticompared to Assamese vendors. He emphasised clearing footpaths and urged Assamese people to initiate businesses. The remarks sparked controversy and led to a formal complaint against the Chief Minister.
On 19 September, while addressing a rally inMadhya Pradesh,SarmatoldKamal Nathto burn10, Janpath(residence ofSonia Gandhi) to prove hisHinduIdentity.Few days later,Leader of Opposition, Assam,Debabrata SaikiafiledFIRonSarmaforhate speech.
In September 2023, the Singapore government awarded Himanta Biswa Sarma the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellowship for his distinguished contribution to public service.