Even though there were 60 arrests on Wednesday, Aminul Islam has been incarcerated since April 24. CM Sarma stated that “they will… receive special care for their anti-national activities.”
On Wednesday, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Aminul Islam from Dhing was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) shortly after receiving bail in a sedition case. Arrested on April 24 for remarks about the Pahalgam terror attack, Islam faced charges under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which addresses acts threatening India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity. He had suggested at a political rally that the attack was a “conspiracy” by the BJP-led central government.
Islam was among the first of 60 individuals arrested in Assam for comments or social media posts related to the terror attack. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has frequently highlighted these arrests, tweeting on Wednesday about four new detentions, stating, “Crackdown on Anti-nationals continues… They will also receive special care for their anti-national activities.”
After securing bail from a Nagaon court, Islam was immediately detained again under the NSA, which allows detention without formal charges or trial for up to 12 months. Nagaon SP Swapnaneel Deka confirmed, “He received bail today, but we then received a detention order under the NSA. He is now in Nagaon Central Jail.”
The detention order, issued by Nagaon District Magistrate Narendra Kumar Shah, cites a police report claiming Islam’s “activities are prejudicial to public order and state security.” Referencing his speech, the order states he is likely to continue such actions and directs his detention under Section 3(2) of the NSA, effective immediately.
The AIUDF, a regional party rooted in Assam’s Bengali-origin Muslim community, has distanced itself from Islam’s remarks, especially as tensions rise ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections. AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam (unrelated) told The Indian Express, “His statements questioned the Indian system and suggested the Pahalgam attack was orchestrated by the government. Politicizing such an issue during a war-like situation was inappropriate. This is now a legal matter, and the law will take its course.”
Islam, Dhing’s MLA since 2011, has faced prior controversies. In 2020, he was charged with sedition over an audio clip alleging that Assam’s Covid quarantine centers were worse than detention centers for undocumented migrants, accusing the government of targeting Muslims and potentially staging deaths in quarantine. The AIUDF also disavowed those statements.
