Guwahati: All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal took strong objection to the remarks of Army chief General Bipin Rawat`s comments about the growth of the party in Assam allegedly because it enjoyed the support of the Muslim population.


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"We respect General Rawat a lot but I think he has been misinformed and misguided. People say we are a Muslim party which is false. We've always given 20-25 seats to our Hindu brothers in all elections. Muslims brothers had also laid down their lives for the freedom struggle. We're Indians. Let us live with the dignity of an Indian," he said.


"If Army chief is saying that demographic change is happening in Assam then it is the government's job to check it. We are the only party which said that shoot anyone who infiltrates into our borders," Ajmal added.


"Have asked for time to meet with the President, PM and Home Minister. Our MLA delegation will meet and clarify our position. Whenever I meet HM, he meets me warmly and addresses me as 'Badruddin bhai'. If we were anti-national would he welcome me," he pointed out.


Earlier Ajmal had tweeted, "General Bipin Rawat has made a political statement, shocking. Why is it a concern for the Army chief that a political party, based on democratic and secular values, is rising faster than the BJP? Alternative parties like the AIUDF, the AAP have grown because of the misgovernance of big parties."

He had asked if by making such a statement, the Army chief was "indulging in politics which is against the constitutional mandate given to him".





General Rawat said that Pakistan and China are behind illegal immigration in the Northeast. He made this statement while addressing Northeast Region of India Bridging Gaps and Securing Borders Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday.


"Migration from Bangladesh is due to two reasons. One, they are running out of space. Large areas get flooded during the monsoon and they have constricted area to stay. So, people will continue coming into our place," the Army chief said.


"The other issue is a planned immigration that is taking place because of our western neighbour (Pakistan). They will always try and ensure that this area is taken over by proxy warfare. This proxy game is being very well played by our western neighbour and supported by our northern neighbour (China)," he said.


Maintaining that it was difficult to change the population dynamics of Northeast, General Rawat said, "There is a party called AIUDF. They have grown in a faster time-frame than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) grew over the years. When we talk of Jan Sangh with two MPs and where they have reached, AIUDF is moving at a faster pace in the state of Assam."


(With Agency inputs)