Congress Hits Back At Himanta Sarma Over “Blood On Hands In Northeast” Jibe

Guwahati:

The Congress on Tuesday slammed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his criticism of the grand old party in handling the northeast over the years, calling him a “product of the BJP washing machine”.

Mr Sarma on Tuesday alleged that the Congress has blood on its hands in the northeast, and none of its PMs gave any healing touch to the region in the last 75 years. 

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, to counter Congress’ allegations during the no-trust motion in Parliament, he said the distress in the region is due to the “faulty policies” of the grand old party.

Hitting back at Mr Sarma, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “The Assam CM – product of the BJP Washing Machine – is now recounting all the so-called sins committed by the Congress in the Northeast.” 

“There are in fact only two real sins. One committed by Hiteswar Saikia, to give respectability to a young man who formed part of the Surrendered ULFA. The other was by Tarun Gogoi, who gave this rank opportunist positions of power and authority,” Mr Ramesh said.

“No mystery who the beneficiary was and who he is now,” he said.

The Congress uses the term “BJP washing machine” to allege that all those against whom there were graft allegations earlier are suddenly free of all wrongdoings after coming into the saffron party fold.

In his remarks, Mr Sarma said, “Congress’ hands, as far as the northeast is concerned, are full of blood. No Congress PM extended any healing touch to the region in the last 75 years.” 

“The Congress must analyse why because of its wrong policies, Manipur is burning. They have created a sad situation in the northeast,” he said.

Ethnic violence in Manipur since the last three months has claimed over 160 lives.

“The Congress created this sad situation in the entire northeast; communities didn’t start fighting overnight,” Mr Sarma said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)