Congress Calls BJP Leader "Bangladeshi", Himanta Sarma's "Italian" Rebuttal

Targeting Congress for trying to project a BJP bypoll candidate in Assam as a "Bangladeshi", Chief Minister Himanta Sarma on Tuesday said questions can also be raised on the nationality of the Opposition party's top leader Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Sarma asked why Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh who have long been residents of India, should face criticism for being a candidate in election.

The Congress, in its campaigning for the Dholai constituency in Barak Valley, has cast doubts about the citizenship of BJP candidate Nihar Ranjan Das, claiming that it was a BJP leader who first raised the allegation.

"If you (Congress) call Nihar Ranjan Bangladeshi, I will also call Sonia Gandhi Italian. If you think I am afraid of Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi, let me tell you I am not," Mr Sarma said addressing a rally for Mr Das at Palonghat.

Sonia Gandhi who was born in Italy came to India in 1968 after her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi. She was granted Indian citizenship later.

The BJP leader maintained that Bengali Hindu residents of the present Barak Valley of Assam were dwellers of what is now Bangladesh, as it was the same country prior to Partition.

He blamed the Congress for creating the problems for Bengali-Hindus of Barak Valley, who had to move to present-day Assam following Partition of the country due to atrocities on religious minorities there.

"During the Lok Sabha election campaign, I had come here and said that we will resolve all problems of the Bengali Hindus. The government of India has already unblocked the Aadhar cards that were on hold. The state government has also issued orders that Bengali Hindus should not face any problems," he said.

When all problems have started to vanish, the Congress is saying Mr Das is a Bangladeshi, he claimed.

"Nihar Ranjan and his family have all the documents to prove their Indian citizenship. However, Congress is trying to rake up the issue. They want to make the Hindu Bengalis in Barak valley suffer once again," said Mr Sarma while replying to the Congress' allegation.

The opposition party is not insulting Nihar Ranjan alone, but all Bengali Hindus, he underlined.

Mr Sarma also held the Congress responsible for the Partition of India in 1947.

"Had you not bifurcated Bharat, atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh would not have happened," the chief minister stressed.

"Hindus are facing atrocities even now (in Bangladesh). We can see this on television and social media. But you (Congress) cannot raise these issues. Congress was formed to play only negative politics," the Chief Minister added.

Taking a swipe at Congress poll performance, Mr Sarma advised the party to sit at home and get some rest.

"The Congress should sit at home and take rest. They won't come to power for another 50 years," Mr Sarma, who had been busy with assembly polls in Jharkhand as the BJP's co-in-charge there, said.

By-elections are scheduled in five Assembly constituencies of the state on November 13.

Besides Dholai, the BJP has fielded candidates in Samaguri and Behali seats, while its allies AGP is contesting from Bongaigaon and UPPL from Sidli.

These by-polls were necessitated by the election of the incumbent MLAs to the Lok Sabha. Of these five seats, BJP and its allies held four, with Congress holding one.