Assam health and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has landed in trouble after publicly announcing his personal mobile number.
During an election rally in Assam’s Udalguri district on November 6, Sarma had announced his mobile number and asked the people to message him whenever in trouble.
And on the same night, the minister received more than 22,000 WhatsApp messages on his number, following which he had to request the people not to message him unnecessarily.
“From last night, I have received more than 22,000 WhatsApp messages. Please do not send any more unless it is urgent. My phone will crash,” wrote the minister on his WhatsApp status.
Later on Saturday, he told reporters that he wanted the people to help by giving his number.
“But now, I’m in trouble,” he told reporters, displaying his mobile even as WhatsApp messages continued to come.
Sarma is attending election rallies in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) for the election. The election date is likely to be announced after November 15. The election for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in April but it was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Facebook's stand
Meanwhile, Facebook has marked Sarma’s post “false information” which he claimed that supporters of Assam’s All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) supporters were shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans.
Facebook said that independent fact-checkers have verified it to be false. According to the fact-checkers, the AIUDF supporters shouted “Aziz bhai” “Aziz Khan Zinadabad”. Aziz Khan happens to be an MLA of the party in Karimganj South constituency.
Along with Sarma, several news outlets also ran the video as supporters shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan.
