Activist Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, who was a member of the Planning Commission during the Manmohan Singh government, has said that Bangladeshis have the right to live in India. She made the comment while visiting Assam in the backdrop of ongoing efforts of the start government to evict illegal encroachers from government lands and push-back illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Syeda Hameed is visiting Assam as part of the team comprising well-known leftist activists like Prashant Bhushan, Harsh Mandar, Jawahar Sircar and others. Talking to reporters, she said that Assam government has brought doom on Muslims in Assam, accusing them of being Bangladeshis.
She then added, “What is wrong if they are Bangladeshis? Bangladeshis are also humans. Earth is so large, Bangladeshis can live here. Not depriving anyone’s rights.” She claimed that to say that illegal immigrants are depriving rights of legal citizens is very very troublesome, extremely mischievous and very detrimental to humanity.
This is Syeda Hameed, former member of the Planning Commission during congress era. Just look at the audacity! If she feels so strongly about the “rights” of illegal Bangladeshis in Assam, why doesn’t she accommodate them in her own home? Perhaps her like-minded friends can also… pic.twitter.com/7ZVdtx3uDc
— BJP Assam Pradesh (@BJP4Assam) August 24, 2025
Syeda Hameed further added, “Allah has made this earth for humans, not for devils, if a person is standing on earth, to evict them is quamat on Muslims.” She added that everyone have stand together for ‘Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb’ and composite culture of India.
While Syeda Hameed acknowledged that Assam government is deporting illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Prashant Bhushan alleged that Indian Muslims are being sent to Bangladesh. He said, “It is clear that the Assam government of Himanta Biswa Sarma is engaged in every kind of lawless and illegal activity, particularly illegally pushing out citizens to Bangladesh and outside this country, illegally evicting people from their land and demolishing their homes.”
Bhushan said they visited Assam to talk to the local people to find out what is happening. However, he alleged that they were prevented from going to Goalpara district, where evictions have taken place from forest land.
The team has visited the state on the invitation of a group called Asom Nagarik Sanmilan. Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, who is a member of the forum, said they invite eminent personalities from outside to deliver talks and present their views on various recent developments.
Earlier in the day, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Aafter Jamaat-e-Hind’s outburst demanding his dismissal yesterday, a Delhi-based team is camping in Assam. He said that Harsh Mander, Wajahat Habibullah, Fayaz Shaheen, Prashant Bhushan, and Jawahar Sircar are part of the team.
After Jamaat-e-Hind’s outburst demanding my dismissal yesterday, a Delhi-based team — Harsh Mander, Wajahat Habibullah, Fayaz Shaheen, Prashant Bhushan, and Jawahar Sircar — is now camping in Assam.
Their sole aim is to paint the lawful evictions as so-called “humanitarian…— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 24, 2025
He said, “Their sole aim is to paint the lawful evictions as so-called “humanitarian crisis.” This is nothing but a planned attempt to weaken our fight against illegal encroachers. We are alert and firm — no propaganda or pressure will stop us from protecting our land and culture.”