Gaurav Gogoi slams Assam CM for blaming 'religion' in NDA's loss in Northeast

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, on June 6, condemned Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's recent statement, alleging interference by leaders of a specific religion in the NDA's losses in Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Manipur, labeling it as "irresponsible and reckless."

Gogoi emphasised Sarma's purported lack of maturity in accepting responsibility for the NDA's losses in Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Manipur. Taking to Twitter, Gogoi wrote, "I condemn the irresponsible and reckless statement of the  Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma. He does not have the maturity to accept the responsibility for the losses of the NDA in Nagaland , Meghalaya and Manipur".

I condemn the irresponsible and reckless statement of the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma. He does not have the maturity to accept the responsibility for the losses of the NDA in Nagaland , Meghalaya and Manipur. I appeal to the Chief Ministers of the respective… https://t.co/Qn2i2LhDKn

— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) June 6, 2024

Urging the respective Chief Ministers to publicly denounce Sarma's remarks, Gogoi stressed the importance of preserving the Northeast's unique identity. "I appeal to the Chief Ministers of the respective states to publicly condemn the statement.  Together we must preserve the unique identity of the Northeast," Gogoi added.

The controversy stems from Sarma's assertion on June 4, where he attributed the NDA's defeat in Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Manipur to the alleged interference of leaders belonging to a specific religion. Sarma's comments, made at the BJP's state office, insinuated that these "religious leaders" actively worked against the ruling alliance in those states, thus impacting the election outcomes.

In response to the backlash, Sarma doubled down on his stance via Twitter, reiterating his observations and emphasising the need to distinguish political opponents from religious figures. Despite the controversy, Sarma celebrated the BJP-led alliance's success in Assam, where they secured victories in 11 out of 14 seats.