Facing flak over his remarks that life-threatening diseases were a result of past sins, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said he was quoted out of context and apologised to those hurt by the "absolutely mindless controversy triggered by few political desperados"
His remarks that some people suffer from diseases such as cancer because of sins committed in the past and that it is "divine justice" have sparked sharp reactions.
Slamming Sarma for his remarks, people across the nation starting from political leaders to general public and national media houses tweeted:
'Cancer is divine justice for sins' says Assam Minister Sharma. That is what switching parties does to a person.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) November 22, 2017
Cancer = Karma for Assam minister? https://t.co/mB49O2tFHU
— Republic (@republic) November 23, 2017
‘Cancer is divine justice to Muslim migrants are enemy’: Why Himanta is Assam’s Yogi https://t.co/bbx0tHUHF3
— NewsStory (@NewsStoryIndia) November 24, 2017
In a press release, Sarma said, "My speech on divine justice and karmic deficiency is being quoted out of context. In their bid to trivialise and sensationalise, no one is looking at the content of my whole speech and intent." "It was said in the context of helping poor students of government schools and as request to teachers not to neglect them. It was also a message to indicate district education officers not to harass teachers, he said.
I am pained at the unpleasant controversy created by people wanting to derive political mileage out of it. I tender my apology to all #cancer patients and their families who may have been hurt by this. I am also issuing this statement to clear & reiterate my stand. pic.twitter.com/O19AA5d4HA
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 23, 2017
Addressing a function on 21st November, where appointment letters were distributed to teachers on Tuesday, Sarma had said, "God makes us suffer when we sin. Sometimes we come across young men getting inflicted with cancer or young men meeting with accidents. If you observe the background you will come to know that it's divine justice. Nothing else. We have to suffer that divine justice."
Assam Congress leader Debabratta Saikia and AIDUF leader Aminul Islam criticised Sarma's statement and demanded that he apologise.
Some cancer patients said they were saddened by the health minister's remarks at a time when it is an established medical fact that there are scientific reasons and various other parameters responsible for the disease.
