Congress hits out at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his ‘Hussain Obama’ tweet
Congress has also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs to explain their stand on Sarma's remarks.
- Jun 24, 2023,
- Updated Jun 25, 2023 9:05 AM IST
Congress party on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his tweet about former US President Barack Obama.
The party has accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of "openly threatening" minorities in India of "dire consequences" for his "Hussain Obama" tweet.
The Congress party has also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs to explain their stand on Sarma's remarks.
While responding to a journalist's snide remark about former US President Barack Obama's words on Muslim minority safety in India, Sarma said, “There are many Hussain Obama in India itself. We should prioritize taking care of them before considering going to Washington. The Assam police will act according to our own priorities.”
“If President (Joe Biden) meets with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, the protection of Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India is something worth mentioning,” Obama had said in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.
To which, a journalist named Rohini Singh questioned, “Has an FIR (has) been filed in Guwahati yet against Obama for hurting sentiment (and) Is Assam police on its way to Washington to get Obama offloaded from some flight and arrest him?”.
She was probably referring to Congress media department chief Pawan Khera's deplaning and arrest in February on allegations of uttering "objectionable words" against Prime Minister Modi. Khera stepped off the plane during his flight to Raipur, where he was scheduled to attend the AICC plenary session.
Officers from the Delhi Police had previously said that they had received a request from the Assam Police for assistance in apprehending the Congress politician in the case lodged at the Dima Hasao police station in Haflong district. Khera was later apprehended by an Assam Police investigating officer.
“Here’s the Chief Minister of Assam, sworn to the Constitution of India openly threatening Minorities of dire consequences and not even sparing Mr Modi’s friend Barack in the process – declaring him Hussain Obama ! @himantabiswa , are you being your usual self – a hateful bigot or are you actually conspiring to undermine the Prime Minister while he asserted the complete opposite in White House yesterday,” Congress general secretary in charge of Assam Jitendra Singh said in a Twitter post.
“Although such remarks are always unacceptable, Chief Minister, Assam making such remarks while the PM is in the USA is extremely shabby for India’s image abroad especially when a lot of the conversation is about India’s questionable treatment of its minorities,” said senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi.
Meanwhile, NCP also said that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's "Hussain Obama" comment was distasteful and undermines Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion during the US visit that there is no religion-based discrimination in India.
Obama in an interview to CNN on Thursday had said that India may “pull apart” if the rights of the religious and ethnic minorities are not upheld and he would raise this issue if he had a conversation with Modi.
Also Read: PM Modi meets Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, discusses AI and technology cooperation with India
Also Watch: Hot stocks for next week: Adani Group, Tata Communications, Welspun India, SBI and more
Congress party on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his tweet about former US President Barack Obama.
The party has accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of "openly threatening" minorities in India of "dire consequences" for his "Hussain Obama" tweet.
The Congress party has also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs to explain their stand on Sarma's remarks.
While responding to a journalist's snide remark about former US President Barack Obama's words on Muslim minority safety in India, Sarma said, “There are many Hussain Obama in India itself. We should prioritize taking care of them before considering going to Washington. The Assam police will act according to our own priorities.”
“If President (Joe Biden) meets with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, the protection of Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India is something worth mentioning,” Obama had said in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.
To which, a journalist named Rohini Singh questioned, “Has an FIR (has) been filed in Guwahati yet against Obama for hurting sentiment (and) Is Assam police on its way to Washington to get Obama offloaded from some flight and arrest him?”.
She was probably referring to Congress media department chief Pawan Khera's deplaning and arrest in February on allegations of uttering "objectionable words" against Prime Minister Modi. Khera stepped off the plane during his flight to Raipur, where he was scheduled to attend the AICC plenary session.
Officers from the Delhi Police had previously said that they had received a request from the Assam Police for assistance in apprehending the Congress politician in the case lodged at the Dima Hasao police station in Haflong district. Khera was later apprehended by an Assam Police investigating officer.
“Here’s the Chief Minister of Assam, sworn to the Constitution of India openly threatening Minorities of dire consequences and not even sparing Mr Modi’s friend Barack in the process – declaring him Hussain Obama ! @himantabiswa , are you being your usual self – a hateful bigot or are you actually conspiring to undermine the Prime Minister while he asserted the complete opposite in White House yesterday,” Congress general secretary in charge of Assam Jitendra Singh said in a Twitter post.
“Although such remarks are always unacceptable, Chief Minister, Assam making such remarks while the PM is in the USA is extremely shabby for India’s image abroad especially when a lot of the conversation is about India’s questionable treatment of its minorities,” said senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi.
Meanwhile, NCP also said that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's "Hussain Obama" comment was distasteful and undermines Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion during the US visit that there is no religion-based discrimination in India.
Obama in an interview to CNN on Thursday had said that India may “pull apart” if the rights of the religious and ethnic minorities are not upheld and he would raise this issue if he had a conversation with Modi.
Also Read: PM Modi meets Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, discusses AI and technology cooperation with India
Also Watch: Hot stocks for next week: Adani Group, Tata Communications, Welspun India, SBI and more