On Assam Chief Minister's "Congress Culture" Jibe, Grand Old Party's Reply

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's appeal to BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their personal security officers (PSO), terming it as a "Congress culture", has drawn the ire of the Congress, the main opposition party in the state.

The Assam cabinet, in a recent meeting chaired by Mr Sarma, formed a committee to assess the entitlement and necessity of PSOs of different political leaders. Depending on the recommendation of the committee, the PSOs would be assigned or withdrawn.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Kumar Borah and the party's Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora on Tuesday asked the Chief Minister to surrender his security cover if he feels this is 'Congress culture'.

"If Assam police claim that the state is peaceful and no personal security is required, then the Chief Minister should not take huge security cover within the state. Let Sarma give up his PSOs first," said Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah.

Mr Sarma had on Saturday urged BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their PSOs, saying that "this is the culture of Congress party".

"There is no need for PSOs. This is the Congress party's culture. We do not have any threat to life as we have done nothing wrong," the Chief Minister had said.

"We do not need PSO to open the doors of the cars, we have the strength to open our doors. I was in the Congress party. I have a list of such types of practices with the Congress party's patronage," he had further said.