New Delhi: The Supreme Court is expected to hear petitions seeking action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday, February 16. A video of Sarma recently surfaced, allegedly showing him aiming and firing a rifle at members of a particular community. Following this, the demand for action against Sarma has been made.
According to the Supreme Court’s cause list, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi will hear the matter.
On February 10, CPI(M) and CPI(M) leaders filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his remarks targeting a particular community. On the same day, the Supreme Court agreed to consider listing the petition filed by Left party leaders.
Lawyer Nizam Pasha mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, seeking an urgent hearing. Pasha stated that he sought the court’s immediate intervention in the matter of the disturbing speeches made by the current Chief Minister of Assam, including a recently posted video showing him firing at members of a particular community. He stated that complaints have been filed, but no FIR has been registered.
The CJI said, “The problem is that whenever elections come, a part of the election is fought within the Supreme Court. That is the problem. We will find out… and will provide a date.”
The petition filed by the CPIM states that the petitioner seeks the Supreme Court’s immediate intervention to take cognizance of the pattern of hate speech being made by Respondent No. 4, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who currently holds the constitutional post of Chief Minister of Assam.
The petition asserts that the speeches target, intimidate, and incite hostility and open violence against the Muslim community of Assam. The petition states that Sarma has, on several occasions, delivered public speeches and statements within and outside the territorial boundaries of the state, which have been widely circulated on print, electronic, and digital media platforms.
The petition states, “Taken together, these statements clearly appear to be hate speech as they denigrate a minority community, spread false and defamatory sentiments, incite social and economic exclusion, and foster a situation of exclusion and violence against that community.”
The petition states, “Recently—and perhaps the most glaring and disturbing example of the pattern outlined in this petition—on February 7, 2026, a video was circulated in the public domain, and subsequently widely circulated, from the official handle X (formerly Twitter) of the BJP, Assam, which was named ‘BJP Assam Pradesh’ (@BJP4Assam). It depicts Respondent No. 4 firing a weapon, accompanied by an animated image of two Muslim individuals standing within the crosshairs of the weapon, followed by a picture of them being struck by bullets one after another.”
Attaching screenshots, the petition states that some portions of the video also contain phrases such as “point blank shot” and “no mercy.” The petition states that when viewed in its actual and political context, the symbolic and pictorial rhetoric contained in this material serves to reinforce and amplify an atmosphere of hostility, exclusion, and intimidation against the minority community.
The petition stated, “It is noteworthy that after severe criticism of this video, it was removed from the official handle of the BJP state unit; nevertheless, this content is being widely circulated and spread through several other social media accounts and platforms.”
The petition stated that the conduct in question constitutes a blatant violation of the oath of office taken by Sarma under the Constitution.
The petition seeks a direction to register an FIR in connection with the impugned acts and speeches against the Assam Chief Minister and to initiate an investigation under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 2023 and other applicable laws.
One of the requests in the petition stated, “Issue an appropriate writ, order, or direction to ensure that the aforementioned incidents of hate speech, particularly those targeting the Muslim community, are investigated in an independent, credible, and impartial manner by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or such other independent authority or mechanism as this Hon’ble Court deems fit and proper in the interest of justice.”
The petition also seeks that any FIR registered or to be registered in the future in relation to the cognizable offences mentioned herein be directed to be transferred to the SIT or any other independent authority or system that this Court deems fit and proper in the interest of justice.
Recently, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind also questioned Chief Minister Sarma’s speech and appealed to the Supreme Court to issue directions prohibiting those holding constitutional posts from making divisive remarks.
