Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that India’s Prime Minister will always be a Hindu, responding to comments made by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on constitutional inclusivity and representation.
Owaisi, speaking at a public event in Maharashtra, said the Indian Constitution allows any citizen, regardless of religion, to hold the post of Prime Minister. He stated that he hoped a hijab wearing woman could one day become Prime Minister and contrasted India’s constitutional framework with that of Pakistan, where top constitutional posts are restricted by religion.
Reacting to the remarks, Sarma said that while the Constitution does not bar anyone from becoming Prime Minister, he believes that India’s leadership would continue to emerge from what he described as the country’s Hindu civilisational tradition.
The comments drew responses from multiple political parties. Leaders from opposition parties criticised Sarma’s statement, stating that it contradicts the constitutional principle of equality. Supporters of the Chief Minister defended his remarks as an expression of cultural identity.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also responded by questioning Owaisi’s position on inclusivity and urging him to reflect diversity within his own party’s leadership.
The exchange has taken place amid ongoing political campaigning, with discussions around religion, constitutional values and political representation featuring prominently in public discourse.
