Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Promises To Tackle 'Fertiliser Jihad' In Natural Farming Initiative

In a recent speech at an event in Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma coined a new phrase, which has caused controversy.

The phrase ‘fertiliser jihad’ is seen by the opposition as another attack on the state’s Bengali Muslim population.

Sarma was advocating for the development and utilisation of natural farming methods when he made the comments. He referenced a promise made during his election campaign to "fight against fertiliser jihad."

“There is so much power hidden in our soil and nature that if we learn to utilise that power, urea, phosphate, nitrate, etc, will not be required. When we started our government in Assam, at that time we had said one thing on the public stage, that the uncontrolled use of fertilisers for growing various food materials in our state is causing illnesses of the kidney, heart, etc,” the Chief Minister said.

The opposition has criticised Sarma’s remarks, suggesting that his comments were aimed directly at the Bengali Muslim community, who make up a significant proportion of vegetable farmers in the region.

During his campaign for the 2021 assembly election, the BJP leader brought up the idea of "fertiliser jihad" in reference to farming. It was not the first time he had made such a comment.

As the Health Minister in Sarbananda Sonowal's government, he claimed that Assam was under "chemical and biological attack" from a particular group of people living in Kharupetia and Dalgaon.

The region he referred to is located in the Darrang district and is predominantly occupied by Muslims of Bengali origin. It is also the state's largest hub for vegetable growers, supplying vegetables to other regions including Guwahati.

General Secretary of the All Assam Minority Students' Union, Minatul Islam, criticised the Chief Minister, stating that such language does not befit the CM's office.

He further added that the minority community, specifically Miya Muslims, plays a significant role in feeding most of the state.

Aminul Islam, the general secretary of All India Democratic United Front, believes that the government's failure to control the use of fertilisers has resulted in its uncontrolled use.

"Once the term 'jihad' is used even for this and the whole responsibility is attached to a particular community, a serious issue is made light,” Islam said.

Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque, a member of the Congress party, accused CM Sarma of attacking Muslims by invoking the term jihad to gain votes out of hatred.