Manipur Chief Minister slams Tejashwi Yadav for "Racist" Himanta Sarma hit

New Delhi:

A war of words between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has intensified over the Assam government's decision to do away with the practice of adjournment of the two-hour assembly session for Jumma I pray.

While Mr Sarma of the ruling BJP pointed out that the decision was taken jointly by all lawmakers, including Hindu and Muslim leaders, Mr Yadav alleged that the Assam Chief Minister's party has made Muslims easy targets to spread hatred and polarise society.

What intensified the exchange between the two was Yadav's post on X criticising Sarma as someone who wants to “gain cheap popularity and become the Chinese version of Yogi”, alluding to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

असम के मुख्यमंत्री सस्ती लोकप्रियता हासिल कर ” में जानबुझकर मुसलमानों को परेशान करने वाले आ त्य करते रहते है। BJP ए मुसलमान भाइयों को सॉफ्ट टारगेट… photo.twitter.com/tVue9mXoY9

– Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) August 30, 2024

The RJD leader did not say whether he was referring to substandard products from China or the northeastern region, where people often complain of racist remarks directed at them.

Responding to Mr Yadav's attack, Mr Sarma said, “Remove the two-hour leave Jumma “The decision to break the silence was not taken by the Prime Minister but by all Hindu and Muslim lawmakers. When the Speaker announced the decision on Friday, no Muslim MP in the House protested. There are 25 Muslim MPs in the Assam Assembly out of a total of 126.”

असम में जुम्मे के ब्रेक को ख़त्म करने के निर्ण य को कांग्रेस ने भी समर्थन दिया। बिहार या देश की किसी भी अन्य विधानसभा में ऐसा क ोई ब्रेक है ही नहीं। मैंहैरान हूँ कि असम के बाहर के लोग बिना सोचे-सम झे इसका विरोध कर रहे हैं। photo.twitter.com/fuUhhEi1nf

– Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 31, 2024

The Assam Chief Minister said the proposal to delete this provision in the assembly rules of procedure was placed before the rules committee headed by the Speaker, which unanimously agreed to delete it. Jumma practice.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh of the BJP intervened in the fray and attacked Mr Yadav, alleging that the RJD leader had labelled the Assam Chief Minister as “a Chinese just because he is from the Northeast”.

“It seems that the INDI Alliance is a bunch of ignorant racists who have no information about the history and geography of our country. First it was Sam Pitroda. Now it is Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards the people of the Northeast,” Singh said.

It seems that the INDI Alliance is made up of a group of ignorant racists who have no information about the history and geography of our country.

First it was Sam Pitroda. Now it is Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards people from the Northeast.

It is unfortunate that a… image.twitter.com/uc78LpohC2

– N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) August 31, 2024

Mr Sarma also hit back at Yadav, accusing him of “hypocrisy”. “Tejashwi Yadav is criticising me, but I want to ask him… is there any such practice in Bihar? You (Mr Yadav) should have implemented a four-hour break when you were Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. Practice this first before preaching,” Sarma said.

He added that the decision was being criticised only outside Assam, while the state's legislators showed their commitment to work for development.

In May 2021, the Arunachal Pradesh government charged a blogger from Punjab for his racist comments against a Congress MP. YouTube blogger Paras Singh had in a video called then Congress MP Ninong Ering a “non-Indian” and claimed that “the state was a part of China”, sparking outrage among residents of Arunachal as well as people in other parts of the country. Paras Singh was arrested and taken to Arunachal Pradesh, where he said he had realised his mistake and apologised. He was granted bail and allowed to return home.