‘Assam’s image is tarnished,’ says Congress in swipe at Himanta for targeting Rahul

At a rally for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates at Kiccha in Uttarakhand, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had targeted Rahul Gandhi for questioning the 2016 surgical strikes against Pakistan.

Published on: Feb 11, 2022, 21:53:42 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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The opposition Congress in Assam on Friday accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of tarnishing the state’s image with his controversial statement on former party president Rahul Gandhi at an election rally in poll-bound Uttarakhand.

Assam CM and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma with party leader and Bihar minister Mangal Pandey at a press conference, ahead of assembly polls, in Dehradun on Friday. (PTI PHOTO.)

Addressing a rally for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates at Kiccha in Uttarakhand, Sarma had targeted Gandhi for questioning the 2016 surgical strikes against Pakistan. “Have we ever asked you if you are really Rajiv Gandhi’s son or not?” he questioned.

“Assamese are known as cultured and well-mannered people all over the world and the state is popular across the globe as a centre of spirituality,” said Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah in a statement.

“Today all that was reduced to dust with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s deplorable remarks questioning Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s father’s identity at an election rally in Uttarakhand. This has lowered the image of Assam’s residents in the eyes of the world,” he added.

Borah further targeted Sarma by saying that Sarma, who was allegedly involved in corruption and crime since his student days, hasn’t had any change in manners and character even after reaching the CM’s post democratically.

“Sarma had (left Congress) and joined BJP to escape the CBI’s clutches and now he is targeting Gandhi with uncivilized and low-mannered remarks in order to escape being targeted by the RSS and BJP high command for the illegal land deals made by his family,” said the Congress state president.

“Coal won’t change its colour even if it is kept dipped in milk. With his statements which shows power has gone to his head, Sarma has proved that it won’t be possible to expect high ideals and better public utterances from such a Chief Minister,” Borah added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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