"Will Put Congress MLA In Jail If Voted To Power": Assam Finance Minister

Even as the controversy over an Assam Congress MLA's proposal for a museum for people in Char-Charporis (island) areas in the state refuses to ebb, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said that once voted back to power, the MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed, who gave the proposal, will be put behind bars.

Mr Sarma alleged Mr Ali had said that lungi, which is the traditional attire of Bengali Muslims in Lower Assam, will be placed at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati, the cultural complex named after Assam's socio-religious reformer and scholar Srimanta Sankar Dev.

"Lungi is like undergarment. How can someone come so low and say that lungi can be kept in a revered place like Kalakshetra? What Ali said is a crime. We will not arrest him now for he will get votes owing to this in the election. We will arrest him once voted back to power," Mr Sarma said.

Mr Sharma said it is the Congress that has taken to "cheap politics" ahead of the assembly election in the state, about six months away.

"Congress is eyeing Kalakshetra since the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests earlier this year. Protesters had damaged Kalakshetra," Mr Sarma said.

In the letter to the Director of Museums, written on October 18, Congress MLA from Baghbor constituency Sherman Ali had said, "I would like to inform you that one Museum reflecting the culture and heritage of the people living in Char-Chaporis of Assam in the premises of Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati was recommended by DRSC on Education, 2020-21, in its 47th Report of Art and Culture (Grant No 27). I would, therefore, like to request you kindly to expedite the process of establishment of the same."