Why is Akbar so dear to Congress?: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Assam chief minister and senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma has once again reacted to the notice served to him by the election commission based on a Congress party complaint.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who arrived at Raipur in Chhattisgarh on Thursday (November 02) for election campaigning in the election-bound state, while speaking to the media said: “Congress complained against me when I spoke about Akbar.”

“It would have made sense to file a complaint if I had spoken something against TS Singh Deo or Baghel or any Congress leader,” Sarma said.

The Assam chief minister added: “I think, for the Chhattisgarh Congress, Akbar is more important than Bhupesh Baghel. Why is Akbar so dear to Congress?”

It may be mentioned here that Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was served a show cause notice by the election commission of India (ECI), recently, for allegedly violating the model code of conduct (MCC) while campaigning in Chhattisgarh ahead of elections in the state.

The notice was issued following a complaint by the Congress party, which alleged that Sarma’s remarks against Congress candidate Mohammad Akbar were communal in nature.

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In his speech, Sarma said, “If one Akbar comes to some place, he calls 100 Akbars. So, send him off as soon as possible, otherwise the land of Mata Kaushalya will get defiled.”

The ECI, in the notice to Himanta Biswa Sarma, stated that his speech was “found to be prima facie violative”.

The Assam CM, furthermore, claimed that the “Congress has decided that Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel’s name should be removed from banners and posters” in the poll-bound state.

“I was in Congress for 22 years, so I get internal information about the party. After the elections, Congress will remove Baghel from the leadership post either immediately or gradually,” the Assam chief minister claimed.