Nalbari: Assam Police has arrested three persons in connection with a private Miya Museum dedicated to the Miya Muslim community in Goalpara district on allegations of wrongful use of the premises and their suspected links with the Bangladeshi terrorist organization Ansarullah Bangla Team and Al-Qaeda, the officials said.
The arrested persons have been identified as Mohar Ali, a resident of Goalpara and Abdul Baten of Dhubri and Tanu Dhadumia. Assam Police on Monday detained two persons Mohar Ali and Abdul Baten in connection with the same.
The police further said that they have been charged in a case under sections 120 (B), 121, 121 (A), and 122 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 10 and 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Nalbari district police on Wednesday produced them before the court in Nalbari. Superintendent of Police of Nalbari district Pabindra Kumar Nath told ANI that the police have taken them for two days’ police remand.
“We have also produced two others before the court who were arrested by Tamulpur district police in connection with AQIS/ABT case, and the court sent both for three days police custody,” Pabindra Kumar Nath said.
The special director general of Assam Police GP Singh took to Twitter and said that the two leaders will be questioned about their links with activities of terrorist outfits Ansarullah Bangla Team and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent.
“Sri Mohar Ali of Goalpara & Sri Abdul Baten of Dhubri have been detained in connection with Ghograpar PS Case no.163/22, U/S- 120(B)/121/121(A)/122 IPC, R/W-Sec -10/13 UA(P) Act. Further investigation and interrogation would be carried out about their association with AQIS/ABT,” tweeted GP Singh.
A private Miya Museum was recently inaugurated by Miya Parishat at the Dapkarbhita Lakhipur area in Assam’s Goalpara district.Notably, the district administration sealed the Miya museum on Tuesday, inaugurated a few days back, citing that the museum was opened in a PMAY house.
Earlier in 2020, expelled Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed sent a letter to the Director of the Museum and stated that one Museum, reflecting the culture and heritage of the people living in Char-Chaporis of Assam on the premises of Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati was recommended by Departmentally Related Standing Committee on Education, 2020-21 in its 47th report on Art and Culture (Grant No. 27).
Those who are living in Char-Chaporis (riverine islands) of Brahmaputra are mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims and locals call them Miya.
Rajib Gogoi, Circle Officer of Goalpara district, said that, as per the direction of the Deputy Commissioner of Goalpara district, we have sealed the PMAY-G house.
“The Miya Museum was opened in the PMAY house,” the Circle Officer said.
Assam BJP MLA Diganta Kalita on Wednesday demanded that the government should take action against those Congress and AIUDF MLAs who also support Miya Museum. A few MLAs of the Opposition Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) have come up in support of the Miya Museum. “The government should take action against those MLAs who are talking in support of Miya Museum. Earlier, they (Congress and AIUDF) had supported the illegal Madrasa issue and opposed the government’s actions and now they are supporting Miya Museum. If they will continue to do these things, then the state government should take action against them,” Diganta Kalita said.
The Assam BJP MLA further said that the Assam police might have gotten some information about the linkage between the people who established the Miya Museum and terror organizations. The state police and state government have taken strict action on it.
Hitting out at the Congress and AIUDF, the BJP MLA said that, they (Congress and AIUDF) are trying to divide Assam for their own political interest.
“I want to request the Congress party that, don’t divide Assam for your political gain,” Diganta Kalita said.
He also said that, after the Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma’s reaction, we have come to know that the Miya Museum was established in a PMAY house.
“There is no Miya community in Assam. In Assam, there are various tribes, and Assamese ethnic groups and there is no relation with Miya. Actually, the migrated people from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) have been trying to attach themselves to the Assamese people and termed themselves as Miya community people. The tools and equipment which were kept in the Miya Museum all are belonging to the Assamese people and ethnic groups,” the BJP MLA said.
He further said that, if they want to establish Miya Museum then go to Bangladesh, not to Assam. “If they will try again to establish Miya Museum in Assam, then all Assamese people will raise their voices against it. I request the Assam government that, the government should take appropriate measures that there should be no trace of Miya Museum in Assam,” Diganta Kalita said. (With inputs from ANI)
