Assam singer Altaf Hussain arrested for trying to popularise ‘Miya Bihu’ idea
Singer Altaf Hussain maintained that he wrote his song “Miya Bihu” in protest against the ongoing attacks on the Bengali Muslim community in Assam
The Assam Police have arrested singer Altaf Hussain in Dhubri for allegedly disturbing “religious and cultural harmony” by trying to popularise the idea of “Miya Bihu”.
Miya is a pejorative term for Bengali Muslims while Bihu is a cultural festival celebrated thrice annually. Miya poetry has become popular in recent years as part of the resistance to the alleged demonisation of Bengali Muslims in Assam.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma broke the news of Hussain’s arrest on Facebook late on Saturday saying the singer wrote a song titled “Miya Bihu”. Sarma called this derogatory towards Assamese culture.
Hussain maintained his song was a protest against the ongoing attacks on the Bengali Muslim community. “I wrote a song protesting against the unnecessary attacks. The police said that they picked me up for this but I do not understand if I have done anything illegal,” he said.
Sarma has doubled down on his attacks on Bengali Muslims even as around 30 organisations issued an ultimatum last month asking the community to leave nine districts of Upper Assam. Sarma on Tuesday last vowed he would not let Miyas “take over” the state insisting he will take sides. He questioned why Miyas went to Upper Assam.
The Opposition has argued the members of the community living in upper Assam are Indian citizens and should have the freedom to go and work anywhere. It held a protest in the assembly complex last week accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of targeting a particular community.
Sarma on Saturday insisted they believe in peaceful co-existence. “...our legends such as Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika taught us patience. But there is a limit to our patience and the people on the other side should understand this. They should understand the social system of this land,” Sarma said.
He said a section of people were trying to popularise the “Miya Bihu” concept and Hussain is one of them. “He has been arrested and the police are taking appropriate steps,” Sarma said.
He said no Assamese would accept attempts to present the culture, heritage, or dance forms of the state in a distorted manner. “I do not know for how many days I will live but until the time I am alive, I want my head to be held high, with dignity. For the sake of coexistence, we have to let go of certain things and hold on to some. But there is a limit to it and the people making such attempts need to understand this,” he said.
Dhubri police superintendent Navin Singh said a suo motu case was registered against Hussain and that he was arrested under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and was produced before the court on Sunday. “We are investigating the matter further,” said Singh without elaborating on the BNS sections.
A video clip of Hussain’s Bihu performance went viral on social media. An official said they were asked to investigate the matter. “No official complaint was lodged against the singer but our investigation revealed that this clip was objectionable and the suo motu case was registered,” said the official.