Why Has Assam Arrested At Least 90 Over Online Posts Since Operation Sindoor?

Assam CM has called them "Pakistani sympathisers." As per his own updates, those arrested are local Muslims.

Assam CM has been regularly posting about the arrests made since Operation Sindoor.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

Since Operation Sindoor, at least 90 individuals have been arrested in Assam (as of Monday, 9 June) over social media posts which were allegedly pro-Pakistan in nature. If we are to go by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's posts, the accused are all Muslims and they reportedly engaged in "anti-national" conduct.

CM Sarma has labelled them "Pakistani agents" and "Pakistani sympathizers" in his posts.

However, taking a step further, the arrests have not been confined to alleged pro-Pakistan posts, but also those who, according to the government, have "insulted" Hindu Gods.

The CM recently wrote, "We have intensified our crackdown on Pak sympathisers and expanded the scope to nab culprits making communal posts on social media All these individuals made offensive comments against our Devtãs, Devis and Bharat."

Speaking to The Quint, Lakhimpur's Additional SP, Laba Kumar Deka, said, "These were done on the basis of provocative social media posts. There were comments like 'Pakistan Zindabad' also. These were done from their own accounts. Investigations are underway, if there are any more anti-India post or comments that we find, then we will arrest them. We have sent those arrested to judicial custody."

'Nobody Will Be Spared': Assam CM

The CM has even been making the names public on his X account, labelling them "traitors". On 18 May, talking about the "crackdown on anti-nationals," he added, "nobody will be spared."

As per the social media updates by the CM throughout May and June so far, four arrests have been made by Kamrup police, three arrests have been made by Hailakandi and Barpeta police. Two by Lakhimpur, Darrang, Sribhumi, Hojai and Kokrajhar police each, among others.

Only three official police accounts, that of South Salmara Mankachar, Barpeta and Kamrup have posted some details about the arrests.

The accused arrested by the Kamrup police allegedly created a fake Facebook account as 'Imran Nazir' and posted pro-Pakistan content.

Meanwhile, Mankachar police said they detained a local Muslim for allegedly posting pro-Pakistan content on Instagram, and Barepta police posted that they arrested another local for reportedly expressing support for Pakistan on Facebook.

However, The Quint searched their profiles and did not find the posts mentioned by the police at the moment.

The crackdown has sparked criticism from activists, who also lamented the lack of outrage on these arrests as compared to other recent cases which gained a lot more media attention.

Chief minister Sarma has continued to state that they are tracing and chasing out the "sympathisers of Pakistan and Islamic terrorism" and has warned that these individuals will be prosecuted under the National Security Act (NSA), PTI reported.

Sarma has reportedly said, “NSA is not for past crimes but for the offences likely to be committed in the future. If we feel that the arrested individuals may repeat the offences, we’ll consider prosecuting them under NSA."

'Infringes Freedom Of Expression, Due Process': Lawyer

The Quint spoke to Advocate Abdur Razzaque Bhuyan based in Guwahati who stated that these arrests go against the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19, which lays down that citizens have a right to express political opinions even if unpopular or controversial.

According to him, from the constitutional standpoint, it also means that mere support for another country or criticism of India — without incitement to violence or public disorder — does not constitute a cognizable offence.

He added that courts have consistently ruled that NSA cannot be used for routine law and order issues or for punishing past conduct.

"These arrests infringe freedom of expression, due process, and equality before law. The blanket use of preventive detention laws like NSA without immediate public threat is legally unsustainable. Targeted arrests of a particular community may also amount to communal profiling, which is unconstitutional," noted Advocate Bhuyan.

There has also been criticism of the manner in which CM Sarma has labelled the arrested individuals "traitors" even though the probe is still in its initial stages.

As per the Hindustan Times, police have booked these individuals under 152 (sedition) and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for their social media posts.

When The Quint questioned Kamprup and Barpeta police about details of the charges and sections applied in the cases, they refused to comment on the same.

Interestingly, the Goalpara police also acted upon a post by 'Randomsena,' a well-known account in the right-wing online ecosystem, to arrest a person whose username is 'Axom Dude.'

The social media activity of the accused, Instagram and YouTube showed that he had posted content against blind devotion multiple times. However, it isn't clear how his content was considered "anti-national".

The most prominent among those picked up was All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Aminul Islam. He was detained under NSA in Assam's Nagaon for allegedly making inflammatory claims linking the Pahalgam terror attack to a conspiracy by the central government.

Islam was booked under sedition charges. CM Sarma said that he had seen the video wherein Islam reportedly made the provocative speech.

In his case, AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal had said that the views expressed by Islam are his personal opinion.

“The comments made by Aminul Islam are unfortunate. This is the time to stand with our government. Terrorists have no religion. These terrorists are maligning Islam,” Ajmal said, as reported by PTI.

On 24 April, Sarma said, "We will take strong action against every one who is, directly or indirectly, trying to support or defend Pakistan."

Earlier in May, the CM had drawn a parallel, posting about how Pakistan handles pro-India voices to make his case.

He wrote, "Romanticising Pakistan while enjoying Indian freedom is not idealism-It is ignorance at best, hypocrisy at worst-and a betrayal of your own motherland."

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's post on X.

(Photo: X/Twitter)

But Advocate Bhuyan has urged that those arrested need immediate legal representation as well as filing of writ petitions under Article 226, challenging arbitrary arrests and misuse of NSA if applied.

He emphasised that as this progresses, a petition can also be sent to the Human Rights Commission or Minority Commission for an independent inquiry.

CM Himanta's Questionable Track Record of "Pakistan" Allegations

However, Sarma has in the past been accused of making "outlandish" claims about his opponents' Pakistan links. Sarma has in the past accused Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Jorhat MP, of having "links with the Pakistan establishment."

However, as proof, Sarma cited only a visit by Gogoi to Pakistan over a decade ago. Sarma has said that he will provide proof by "September 2025."

Gogoi has termed Sarma's allegations as a "C-grade Bollywood movie that is bound to flop"

Recently, Sarma also said that "voting for Rahul Gandhi is like voting for Pakistan."