Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday described Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, as an “anti-national,” claiming that he does not care about Indian Hindus or Muslims.
Speaking to reporters in the Bodoland Territorial Region, Sarma alleged, “Rahul Gandhi is an anti-India person. He only stands with Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslims. He is not with Indian Hindus — not even with Indian Muslims. Rahul Gandhi is an anti-national personality.”
The Assam Chief Minister also accused the Congress leader of showing disrespect towards Assamese cultural icons, including the Kamakhya temple and spiritual reformer Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva.
Although Sarma did not cite a specific reason for labeling Rahul Gandhi “anti-national,” his remarks appear to be a response to recent criticism directed at him by the Congress leader.
During his visit to Assam last month, Rahul Gandhi said that Himanta Biswa Sarma was behaving like a “raja” (king) and predicted that the Chief Minister would not remain in power for long.
“He will end up in jail — not because the Congress wants it, but because the people of Assam will send him there for corruption,” Gandhi said during a party event in Chaygaon.
He further stated, “The people of Assam know the truth… Elections are approaching, and the Congress will sweep them. We’ve built a new team here, begun the work, and the people of Assam will soon see the results.”
Sarma, who was once a Congress leader before joining the BJP in 2015, responded to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks with a dismissive hand gesture, known colloquially as a “thenga.”