Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma Challenges AASU to Debate in Assamese Language

Biswanath Chariali, January 8, 2019:

Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, once again challenging All Assam Students' Union (AASU) leader Samujjal Bharracharya to a debate on the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, has suggested that the discussion between the two sides must be held in the Assamese language.

During a 'peace and progress' rally that was held on January 7 at Biswanath Chariali, Biswa Sarma "Time and again, I have urged the AASU leadership to sit with is for a public debate.  Be it at the Kalashetra, or anywhere else -- they will sit one side and we wil sit on the other. We will debate them in the public eye. We will debate on whether the C(A)B is good. We will tell them who the actual enemies of Assam are. However, Samujjal Bhattacharya has said that he will only sit for a debate with Prime Minister Modi and not with ", Himanta said, reiterating his challenge for a debate.

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"If you want to have a discission with Modi, get elected and have debates with him at the Parliament to your heart's content. However, to ensure that the people of Assam -- from a tea laborer to a University proferssor -- understands

They talk about Assamese, but they don't wish to debate in Assamese", Biswa Sarma stated, adding, "our problems will be resolved if we have a few words of debate in the Assamese language."

Rebuking the AASU leader over his "immovable" stance against the 'CAA', Biswa Sarma compared Bhattacharya to a stubborn child. "I have told Samujjal, only a stubborn child says that he won't understand; you have to understand".

Earlier, while responding to Biswa Sarma's challenge for an open debate on the 'CAA', Bhattacharya had said that the AASU leadership is open to a debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his right-hand man, Amit Shah, and added that anybody else is free to join in.

The AASU General Secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who has become the face of the anti-CAA movement due to his impassioned speeches at the protests, has been known to mock the Assam BJP over its debate proposal.

“Himanta Biswa Sarma has challenged our Chief Adviser for an open debate on the NRC. We are reiterating — we are ready to debate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for an open debate — the PM and Home Minister can also include the local leaders of Assam", Gogoi said at an anti-CAA rally in Sualkuchi, which falls under Biswa Sarma's home Constituency, Jalukbari.

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