Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, launched a scathing attack on the election manifesto released by the Congress on Saturday, alleging that it was more appropriate for Pakistani elections than for India's. He contended that the manifesto's intent is to divide society to ascend to power. The released manifesto by Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections centers around five 'pillars of justice' and includes 25 guarantees. Some noteworthy promises from the party include legal backing for Minimum Support Price (MSP), conducting a nationwide census on caste demographics, and the abolition of the controversial Agnipath military recruitment scheme.
In a retort, Sarma accused the Congress's proposition as a politics of appeasement.
Speaking to the press at an election rally in the Jorhat constituency, Sarma stated, "This is nothing short of appeasement politics, and we vehemently condemn it. The manifesto seems as though it's meant for elections in Pakistan, not India." He emphatically asserted that no person, no matter Hindu or Muslim, supports practices such as triple talaq, polygamy, and child marriage, criticizing Congress's ideology of splitting the society to secure power.
Claiming victory for BJP across all state seats, Sarma stated that the BJP has transformed into a 'movement' aiming to make the country 'Vishwa Guru' or a world leader.
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Congress Counterattacks Sarma's Allegations
The Congress hit back at Himanta Biswa Sarma, stating that a turncoat like him cannot understand the secular and inclusive ethos of the oldest political party. It's worth noting that Sarma joined the BJP in 2015. According to the agency, Assam Congress spokesperson, Bedabrata Bora, stated that Sarma was unable to grasp the core values of the Congress during his tenure there, leading him to defect to the BJP. Despite being with the BJP for some time, he continues to attempt to malign the Congress. Bora insisted Sarma prove his allegiance to the BJP.
Bora dismissed the allegations by Sarma and stated that the party's manifesto aimed at protecting the interests of all sections of society.
Regarding the Lok Sabha elections in Assam, voting will be held in three phases, on 19th April, 26th April, and 7th May, with the counting of votes scheduled for 4th June.
