Cong, Gaurav kneeling before particular community for own interests: Himanta

Guwahati, Jan 16 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday accused the Congress and the party's state president Gaurav Gogoi of kneeling before a particular community and forsaking the welfare and identity of the state for their own vested interests.

Sarma also claimed that details of an MP from Assam maintaining secret contact with Pakistan and having "special affection" for a specific community would be revealed before the end of this month.

Though he did not name Gogoi, Sarma and the BJP have repeatedly alleged that the Congress MP from Jorhat, who is also the party’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, has links with the neighbouring country.

"The Congress has kneeled before a particular community. Had it been for someone’s good, it would not have been different. But it is being done at the cost of welfare of our motherland, identity of our people, and it cannot be accepted. The Congress and Gogoi should understand," Sarma said in Facebook Live.

Refraining from naming Gogoi, he said the Pakistan links of an Assam MP will be revealed with details before the end of January.

"Special affection for a specific community, secret contact with Pakistan – all these are dangers for our state. Our ‘jati’ (community) is in danger and we are trying to save it. But a section with vested interests is trying to weaken us," he maintained.

"Our unified strength will save us and we will win this war of identity," Sarma asserted.

He also referred to a controversy surrounding a statement made by former All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) president Rejaul Karim Sarkar while joining the Congress on January 11, in presence of Gogoi.

"When someone joins Congress, we generally do not say anything as it is their internal matter. But that day, the controversial statement of turning Sivasagar into Dhubri and vice versa was made," Sarma said.

Sarma maintained that 80 per cent of people of Dhubri now are those of Bangladeshi origin and Assamese culture is on the wane in this western Assam district.

Sivasagar, situated on the eastern part, has been the ‘pranspandan’ (heartbeat) of the Assamese people, being the first capital of Ahom dynasty, the place from where the first Assamese newspaper ‘Orunudoi’ was published, where UNESCO World Heritage site Charaideo Maidam and the Shivadol symbolizing the state’s spiritualism are also located, he underscored.

The chief minister asserted that it is not possible to turn Sivasagar into Dhubri or vice-versa due to the different characteristics.

"We will object when the meaning of the statement implies that Sivasagar will be transformed into Dhubri through bringing Bangladesh origin people there," he said.

"That boy (Sarkar) said they will engage in ‘education jihad’ and district commissioners of places like Sivasagar, Jorhat, Guwahati would be from Bangladesh-origin communities," Sarma claimed.

The CM questioned Gogoi’s silence when Sarkar was making such statements and maintained that he should have expelled the ex-AAMSU leader if he did not desist from such remarks.

"Instead, Sarkar resigned on his own (on January 14) and he is now a hero among the minority people. Gogoi gave this person a chance to be a hero in exchange of ‘asmita’ and pride of Sivasagar," he claimed.

The chief minister also criticised Gogoi for purportedly failing to take action against another Congress leader for demanding reservation on basis of religion a few days back. PTI SSG SSG MNB