The Nixon of Assam: HBS, Hate Speech, and the Uneasy Throne of Power

In the intricate theatre of Assam's politics, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (HBS) has carved out a reputation that oscillates between charisma and controversy. Known by some as the “Nixon of Assam” — not for any Watergate-esque scandal, but for his fiery rhetoric, biting one-liners, and aggressive style of public engagement — Sarma has increasingly found himself at the center of debates over political decency and the crumbling boundaries of democratic discourse.

HBS’s speeches, often viral for their sharp barbs and populist punch, deliver more than answers; they serve as political performances, where theatrics often overshadow governance. Simple questions from reporters or critics are often met not with policy explanations but with incendiary one-liners — lines that resonate deeply with his core base, but raise eyebrows across the political spectrum. The craft of his oratory, however, seems less organic than orchestrated. The influence of the Sangh Parivar looms large behind his words, pumping his narrative with ideological oxygen, shaping it into polarizing bursts that create deep social and communal bubbles in Assam’s diverse public space.

What once might have been dismissed as political flamboyance is now becoming an embarrassment for the ruling BJP — both at the state and national level. As Sarma escalates his rhetoric, public sentiment appears increasingly divided. Many within the BJP’s own ranks, particularly the old guard and Delhi-based leadership, are said to be uncomfortable with the tone, content, and consequences of his speeches. With every unparliamentary phrase, every out-of-context jab at communities or political opponents, the line between governance and grandstanding blurs further.

More crucially, the decorum expected of a state head seems to be deteriorating. In public meetings, where policy ought to take center stage, Sarma’s remarks often veer into dangerous rhetorical territory — raising questions not just about his leadership style, but also about the health of democracy itself in Assam. Observers are now asking, in hushed tones and open columns alike: why is HBS so nervous? Is the cocktail of popularity, pressure from ideological patrons, and pre-2026 poll anxiety pushing the CM into this reactive mode?

Delhi, it appears, is watching. And not with ease.

For the Sangh Parivar, Sarma is a strategic asset — a loud voice in the Northeast that helps translate its national Hindutva vision into regional dialect. But for the BJP’s central leadership, which has been increasingly focused on national image-building and electoral arithmetic, HBS’s speechcraft may become a double-edged sword. A populist leader with sharp elbows and sharp words, Sarma is drifting from being an asset to a potential liability — especially if public opinion begins to conflate his theatrics with the government’s failures.

In the final analysis, Himanta Biswa Sarma’s current trajectory is less about opposition battles and more about internal contradictions — the clash between political ambition and democratic restraint, between rhetoric and responsibility, and between a populist’s fire and a statesman’s poise.

The Nixon of Assam may win applause in the moment, but whether Assamese democracy can withstand the heat of his words is a question that even Delhi struggles to answer.