Guwahati, June 21 — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday directed all district officials to strictly enforce the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, following a series of incidents that he claimed were aimed at inciting communal tensions across the state.
Speaking to reporters, Sarma said the law — which prohibits the slaughter and sale of cattle meat within a five-kilometre radius of Hindu religious sites — had not been stringently followed in the run-up to Eid-al-Adha this year.
“That’s why we witnessed several instances of people trying to create communal tension by placing cow meat at temples and other religious places in districts like Dhubri, Lakhipur, Lakhimpur, and Hojai,” the chief minister stated. “We’ve now instructed all district authorities to ensure absolute compliance with the law to prevent such provocations.”
Sarma alleged that the incidents were part of a deliberate campaign to spark religious unrest. “There is a concerted effort from certain elements — both inside and outside Assam — to create communal tensions,” he said.
The chief minister also raised concerns over the role of social media in spreading hate. “We’ve seen 5,000 to 6,000 social media accounts activated recently, most of them supporting a particular political party and promoting communal discord,” he said.
According to a forensic analysis conducted by state authorities, of the 2,093 Facebook accounts examined, nearly 700 were being operated from Bangladesh, 350 from Pakistan, and around 500 from countries in the Middle East. “These posts contain hardcore Islamic fundamentalist content and open support for one political leader from Assam,” Sarma added.
“This is the first time we are witnessing such deep foreign involvement in Assam’s political landscape,” he said, noting that the Centre has been informed and national security agencies are expected to act.
The chief minister’s remarks come amid heightened sensitivities over communal harmony and digital disinformation in Assam, with authorities now under pressure to maintain law and order in the lead-up to upcoming festivals and political events.
