Cachar BJP Leader Calls Bhaga ‘Second Pakistan’; Walks Free Hours After Arrest

A newly inducted Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Bhaga, Nazrul Islam, has made an infuriating comment comparing Cachar district’s Bhaga Gaon Panchayat area to Pakistan. He was arrested and subsequently released on the same day by the Cachar Police, without any trial. The statement, made during a felicitation event organised by the BJP in the Hawaithan area, has sparked widespread condemnation across the district.

The event, held at Hawaithan, Cachar, to celebrate the victory of BJP-backed candidates as president and vice-president of the Bhaga Gaon Panchayat, took a controversial turn when Islam addressed the gathering. In a video that went viral on Saturday (July 5), he was heard saying, “Bhaga is Pakistan, because the minority (Muslim) population here is high.” He added that the condition is just like in Pakistan, and, remarkably, the BJP has managed to establish control in the area.

The remarks, deemed deeply offensive and communal, quickly drew criticism from political opponents and civil society alike. The video gained traction on social media, prompting the police to act. Nazrul Islam was arrested from his residence late at night but was released within hours, raising questions about the seriousness of the action taken. Was he released just because he is a BJP member?

In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Assam Police had intensified its crackdown on anti-national elements across the state. By June 3, as many as 82 individuals had been arrested for posting inflammatory content online and expressing sympathy towards Pakistan. Against this backdrop comes the recent remark by a BJP leader, comparing Bhaga Gaon Panchayat in Cachar to Pakistan, and that too during a BJP-organised event. What action the authorities will now take against such a statement from within the ruling party remains to be seen.

Interestingly, Nazrul Islam himself belongs to the minority community, adding another layer to the controversy.