Be loyal to country, not a particular family: Assam CM hits back at Congress

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday lashed out at the Congress party for prioritising ‘Gandhi parivaar’ above those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

The Chief Minister highlighted that people should be loyal towards the country and not just a particular family. “The Congress has developed an ecosystem and the people part of this ecosystem may tolerate things against India, but they will not tolerate anything against the Gandhis.

Today, no one listens to them. People should be loyal to the country and not just a particular family,” Sarma told ANI today.

His remarks came a day after Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda to sack Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his comments on the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for questioning his parentage.

Addressing a public event, Rao had said, “PM Modi ji, is this the ‘sanskaar’ (etiquettes) or our Hindu ritual to question an MP about the identity of his father. This was done by your BJP Chief Minister. My head hangs in shame and my eyes are in tears after I heard this. This is not a good thing for the country.”

“How can the Chief Minister of Assam talk like this? There is a limit to holding on to patience,” he added.

Rao’s remarks came after Assam Chief Minister on Friday launched a blistering attack on former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for demanding proof of India’s surgical strike in Pakistan in 2016 and airstrike in 2019, asking whether the BJP had ever demanded proof from him for being the “son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi” and had added that the Wayanad MP had no right to demand proof from the Army.

In a similar development earlier today, Sarma alleged that Congress questioned the abilities of late Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, since the day he became Army Chief.

“The Congress spared no effort to abuse and accuse General Bipin Rawat. From the day he became Army Chief, they questioned his abilities. But they get irked when I question them for disrespecting our brave soldiers. This is new India. Such an attitude won’t be tolerated anymore,” Sarma tweeted.

Congress spared no effort to abuse and accuse General Bipin Rawat.From the day he became Army Chief , they questioned his abilities. But they get irked when I question them for disrespecting our brave soldiers. This is new India. Such attitude won’t be tolerated anymore. pic.twitter.com/NOQdZecnuD

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 13, 2022

“Is it wrong to stand by our great Armed forces? Let’s not question their patriotism. Don’t seek proof of what they did for the country. India is not just a union of states. ‘Bharat’ is our Maa, not just a motherland. Questioning the jawans is an insult to our Maa!” he said in another tweet.

Is it wrong to stand by our great Armed forces? Let’s not question their patriotism. Don’t seek proof of what they did for the country.
India is not just a union of states. ‘Bharat’ is our Maa, not just a motherland. Questioning the jawans is an insult to our Maa! pic.twitter.com/0KdJoFLR0M

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 13, 2022

General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other defence force personnel, had died in a helicopter crash in December last year.