Assam

Guwahati: World boxing champion and Olympic medalist Mary Kom has issued a clarification and apology after her recent remarks about her estranged husband sparked widespread controversy on social media. In an emotional video posted on her Instagram account, Mary Kom said her words were misunderstood and that her intention was never to hurt anyone or promote negativity. Mary Kom has been in the spotlight due to her divorce and public statements related to her former husband, Onler Kom. During a television talk show, she had alleged financial exploitation, claiming that her former husband never earned money and lived off her income. The remarks triggered sharp criticism online, following which the six-time world boxing champion chose to address the issue directly. Clarification and Apol...

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has once again stirred controversy with remarks regarding the state’s Muslim population. Speaking at a government program, he claimed that names of “suspected infiltrators” would be removed from the voter list and warned that the upcoming census would bring alarming demographic changes. Population Projections According to CM Sarma, Bangladeshi Muslims could account for nearly 40% of Assam’s total population in the next national census. Highlighting a demographic shift over the past few decades, Sarma expressed concern about the rising numbers of Muslims of Bangladeshi origin in the northeastern state. He has previously encouraged measures to counter this growth, including advocating for Hindus to have more children to maintain dem...

Guwahati: Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, the Assam BJP government has fast-tracked its women’s self-employment initiative. Under the scheme, self-help group members across all 35 districts have been provided an initial capital of ₹10,000. The government aims to extend the benefits of this program to 40 lakh women across the state. 8 Lakh Women Achieve ‘Millionaire’ StatusChief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on Tuesday that under the earlier phase of the Chief Minister’s Women Entrepreneurship Campaign (MMUA), over 15 lakh women have already received the initial ₹10,000 financial assistance. The scheme, which began on 1 April last year, initially targeted 32 lakh beneficiaries, but the goal has now been raised to 40 lakh. Official data indicates that 8 lakh women have alr...

Guwahati, January 5, 2026: The Congress party has made a bold move in its bid to reclaim power in Assam by appointing Priyanka Gandhi to lead the party’s state campaign — marking the first time she has been entrusted with a direct role in a state assembly election. This sets the stage for a high-stakes political duel between Priyanka Gandhi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP’s chief strategist. The 2026 assembly elections will take place in several states, including Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, covering a total of 824 legislative seats. While West Bengal is expected to witness high-voltage electoral battles, Assam now takes the spotlight with Congress banking on Priyanka Gandhi’s leadership to challenge the BJP machinery. On the BJP side, election strat...

Guwahati: Ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered a Special Revision (SR) of Assam’s electoral rolls. The Commission clarified that this exercise must not be confused with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which is conducted in exceptional circumstances requiring voters to furnish documents for eligibility verification. In Assam’s case, the EC has avoided SIR due to the state's unique citizenship framework and the ongoing Supreme Court-monitored National Register of Citizens (NRC) proceedings. What Makes SR Different from SIR? The Special Revision ordered in Assam will require mandatory house-to-house (H2H) verification, but unlike SIR, no voter will be asked to produce documents to prove eligibility. The final electoral roll...