‘God made me to eat biryani’: Rakibul Hussain hits back at Himanta Biswa Sarma's ‘Bakasura’ jibe

Congress leader and Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain made a sarcastic remark about biryani while responding to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's criticism of him during an election campaign in Samaguri.

Hussain was responding to Sarma's remarks in which the Chief Minister had referred to him as “Bakasura”, a mythological character known for his appetite, while accusing the Congress leader of allegedly “digesting” money meant for government schemes.

In his response, Hussain made a series of remarks centred around biryani.

“God has sent me into this world to eat biryani,” Hussain was quoted as saying.

He further said, “God made me rich so that I could eat biryani.”

Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister's remarks, Hussain also contrasted his alleged love for biryani with the food normally given to newborns.

“After birth, a child drinks its mother's milk, but Rakibul drank chicken biryani,” he said in a sarcastic reference to himself.

He further remarked that irrespective of whether a child is rich or poor, the first food it receives is its mother's milk, but claimed that he was “different”.

The remarks came amid an increasingly sharp campaign for the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll, where political opponents have been trading personal jibes and allegations.

Sarma had earlier targeted Hussain during campaigning in Samaguri, using the reference to Bakasura to attack the Congress leader over alleged misuse of public funds. Hussain's latest remarks appeared to be a response to that criticism.

The exchange adds another colourful episode to the ongoing verbal battle between the Assam chief minister and the Congress leader during the Nagaon bypoll campaign.