Guwahati : Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev on Sunday, September 14 launched a sharp attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of misleading communities with contradictory statements on issues of D-Voters and Aadhaar card distribution.

Dev alleged that the chief minister was “in complete confusion” while attempting to pacify growing discontent against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. Referring to a recent incident in Tinsukia that went viral on social media, she said Sarma had promised protection to Hindu Bengalis and assured them Aadhaar cards, despite the fact that the Centre had already announced no new Aadhaar issuances from October 1.

“The Hindu Bengalis of Assam must understand that Aadhaar has nothing to do with citizenship. The BJP itself, along with the Election Commission of India (ECI), has categorically stated this,” Dev asserted. She maintained that linking Aadhaar to citizenship status was “a deliberate attempt to mislead” vulnerable communities.

On the contentious issue of D-Voters (doubtful voters), Dev stressed that the matter falls strictly under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India, not the state government. She pointed out that the D-Voter category was introduced in 1997 during an intensive revision drive and that only the ECI has the authority to remove such tags after due verification.

She further warned that the forthcoming State-wide Reverification (SIR) exercise would once again force people to submit documents to prove their citizenship, with the final decision resting solely with the ECI. “The chief minister has absolutely no role in this process,” she said.

Citing the Immigrants Expulsion Act of 1950, Dev highlighted that under the BJP’s declared standard operating procedures, district administrations could issue a 10-day notice to suspected individuals. “If one fails to provide satisfactory documents, they can be asked to leave Assam and be deported to Bangladesh. Otherwise, they risk being confined in detention centres or forcibly pushed back by border forces,” she cautioned.

Dev accused the BJP of playing politics with sensitive issues, adding that communities in Assam continue to feel betrayed by “unfulfilled promises and misleading assurances.”