Assam CM Threatens to ‘Push Rahul Gandhi Into Bangladesh’

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has threatened to push Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in India’s Lok Sabha, into Bangladesh while attacking the Congress leader over the issue of illegal immigration.

“Come to Assam, and I will push you into Bangladesh,” he said.

Mr. Himanta made the remarks on Sunday (November 2) while addressing a rally in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, as part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’ programme.

Earlier, Mr. Rahul had strongly criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at a grand opposition rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. Calling Mr. Kumar a “traitor”, Mr. Rahul demanded his resignation and threatened to send him to jail. Mr. Himanta launched a counterattack following Mr. Rahul’s remarks.

Speaking at the Shimla rally, Mr. Himanta said, “Bangladeshis have no place in India. Mr. Rahul, if you have so much sympathy for Bangladeshis, go to Bangladesh and contest elections there.” He then added, “Instead, come to Assam, and I will push you into Bangladesh.”

Mocking Mr. Rahul over his alleged sympathy for Bangladesh, the Assam chief minister said he and West Bengal BJP leader Mr. Suvendu Adhikari would arrange for Mr. Rahul to parachute into Bangladesh if he visited Assam.

Mr. Himanta also claimed that Congress would never return to power in India. He said the people of India change governments through the democratic process using electronic voting machines (EVMs). He added that Congress was consistently losing not only elections conducted using EVMs but also ballot-paper elections and elections to legislative councils in various states.

At the Ramlila Maidan rally, Mr. Rahul had criticised the Election Commission and the central government, saying, “We believe in non-violence. Mr. Narendra Modi and Mr. Amit Shah are not our enemies. But we must remember that no one, whoever they may be, is above the Constitution of the country.”

Mr. Rahul’s remarks have triggered renewed political debate and exchanges between rival political camps across India.