'Disown my son...': Himanta Sarma's remarks on links to Pakistan
What's the story
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has sparked controversy with his recent remarks on ties with Pakistan. Speaking to News18, Sarma said he would disown his son if he had any connections with the neighboring country. "If one becomes Pakistani, how can I have a relation with them? That applies to my son also," he said in an interview clip shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Political implications
Sarma's comments hint at Congress MP's wife
Though Sarma didn't name anyone in the clip, he appeared to refer to Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and his wife Elizabeth. He has earlier alleged that she "works for Pakistan" and claimed to have evidence of her involvement in a cartel aiding Pakistan. In October, Sarma had alleged, "Gaurav Gogoi is a Pakistani agent; he is purely that. He has been planted by foreign power in our country."
Incident reaction
Sarma's response to Hindu man's lynching in Bangladesh
In the recent interview, Sarma also spoke about the recent lynching of a 27-year-old Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, in Bangladesh. He said he would feel the same anguish if a similar incident happened to someone of another faith. Contrary to initial reports of "blasphemy," Das was reportedly killed over a workplace dispute, according to investigators, Dhaka Tribune reported.