Amid the ongoing row between Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over the grand old party's east-to-west Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra that passed through his state, the chief minister on Thursday quoted a media report alleging that a body double of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was used on the bus being used for Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Adding to the body double allegation, Sarma further accused Gandhi of planning a communal clash in the state and said, "...What was this Yatra? Look at its timing. They had hatched a conspiracy to instigate a major communal clash in Assam. We had a glimpse of it in Guwahati. But their big conspiracy was to cross through Assam during the Ram Temple Pranpratishtha and a clash ensues in the state. But the people of our party and Ram Bhakts restrained themselves. They did not let anything untoward happen in Assam...I would like to tell Rahul Gandhi...people of Assam will see you in Lok Sabha for your arrogance. I give you this commitment today - Congress will get an even lesser number of seats in Assam and we will defeat them with a good margin. I promise you this today."
"Congress politics has become 'Soft Naxalite'. Their slogans don't reflect Gandhian principles anymore. I too was in Congress for 22 years. But it never had such slogans earlier. Congress had a soft slogan. I see that they have killed even the soul of Congress. Entire carcade was full of so-called Left people, Left-leaning people", the chief minister further added.
FIR against Rahul Gandhi
Before this, Sarma had also taken a fresh swipe at Gandhi saying that the former president of the grand old party would be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections this year.
Reacting to Sarma's remarks, Priyank Kharge tweeted, "Why wait for the Lok Sabha elections Himanta Biswa Sarma ji? If Rahul Gandhi ji has broken the law, why don't you go ahead and do the needful? You won't do that, because you are fully aware that he speaks the truth, you did not stand up for your neighbours in Manipur and are looting the people of Assam. He is merely echoing people’s sentiments, which scares you", to which CM Sarma replied, "We need Rahul Gandhi during election brother
The Assam Chief Minister also appeared to admit that the current exchange of swipes between him and Rahul Gandhi is "personal". "Yes, it was personal between me and Rahul Gandhi. I am not his fan," Himanta Sarma said.
Earlier, it was reported that the Assam Chief Minister had instructed the Director General of Police (DGP) to register a case against former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for "provoking the crowd" to break barricades, and called their actions "Naxalite tactics".
Himanta attacks Rahul on 'Gamocha' comment
A war of words also broke out over Rahul Gandhi's 'Gamocha' remark as well. Earlier, showing the 'Gamocha' wrapped around his neck, Gandhi alleged that the ruling dispensation was insulting the pride of the state. The Congress MP said that a 'Gamocha' literally means a towel with 'Ga' meaning body and 'Mocha' meaning to wipe.
"The BJP-RSS wants to wipe out the language, culture and history of Assam... We have come here to wipe the injustices of BJP from Assam," he added.
Retaliating to Gandhi's comments, the chief minister said, ''Rahul Baba, Assam's Gamocha is just not for wiping the body. It is a symbol of Assam's self-respect. There are many types of Gamocha. In Assam's most important festival Bihu, it is offered as a Bihuan as a respect and also for honouring guests. It covers the seat where idols are placed and also worn during other festivals and other ceremonies'', Sarma posted on 'X' in Hindi.
