GUWAHATI: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has lashed out at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for blaming a “particular religion” for BJP's electoral setbacks in the three Northeastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, and Meghalaya.
Gogoi further asked the chief ministers of these states to publicly condemn Sarma’s statement and said that he “does not have the maturity to accept the responsibility for the losses of the NDA in Nagaland , Meghalaya and Manipur."
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While addressing the media after the Lok Sabha Election results were declared, Sarma said, “Regarding results in Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya my specific observation is that leaders from a particular religion - who usually do not get into politics - decided to fight the NDA. We can fight political opponents but not religious leaders.”
The BJP and its allies lost in Manipur, Nagaland and Meghalaya, where Congress and regional parties won.
On Thursday, June 6, Gogoi stated, “I condemn the irresponsible and reckless statement of the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma. He does not have the maturity to accept the responsibility for the losses of the NDA in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur. I appeal to the Chief Ministers of the respective states to publicly condemn the statement. Together we must preserve the unique identity of the Northeast."
However, while Sarma did not name the religion, Christians are the majority community in the four–Tura, Shillong, Nagaland and Outer Manipur– of the five constituencies he was referring to. On the other hand, Inner Manipur constituency is dominated by the Hindu Meitei community.