‘Kharge family anti-Assam’: CM reacts sharply to Priyank’s ‘no talent’ jibe
Row erupts over Karnatakla Minister's comments on Assam's semiconductor push; Sarma calls remarks 'misleading'
A file image of CM Sarma. (Photo:@himantabiswa/X)
Guwahati, Oct 28: The war of words between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge escalated on Tuesday, with Sarma accusing the Congress leader and his family of harbouring “anti-Assam” sentiments.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of an event in Kaliabor, Sarma said, “Priyank Kharge keeps spreading misinformation. When the Bharat Ratna was conferred on Bhupen Hazarika, his father Mallikarjun Kharge had also made very objectionable remarks. The whole Kharge family is anti-Assam.”
He added, “The Congress must condemn Priyank Kharge’s remarks and make him understand Assam’s tradition, resilience and the strength of its youth.”
The Chief Minister’s remarks came in response to Priyank’s recent allegation that semiconductor companies were being pressured to set up units in Gujarat and Assam despite preferring Karnataka.
Sarma, on Monday, had said that his government is considering legal action against Priyank over his “no talent” comment, which he described as “deeply insulting to the youth of Assam”.
Kharge, however, swiftly countered the Chief Minister’s attack, accusing him of twisting facts and resorting to “rabid politics”.
“Dear CM @himantabiswa, I hope you remember your remarks last year about the talent pool in Assam. By your own admission, thousands of Assamese are being trained in Bengaluru. I’m glad Karnataka’s ecosystem is able to support the youth of Assam. A simple ‘thank you’ would have sufficed instead of political rabid comments. But then again, lying to people and scamming is something that comes naturally to you,” Kharge posted on social media.
The Congress minister’s retort came hours after Sarma criticised him for claiming Assam “lacks talent” for semiconductor projects.
“He has insulted Assamese youth. His remark is an insult to the entire youth of Assam,” Sarma said.
In another post, Kharge accused the Assam Chief Minister of trying to “whitewash his failures” and cited NITI Aayog’s latest report to claim that Assam ranks among the bottom five states in health, education, and economic growth indicators.
“The only thing Sarma has managed to grow is his own wealth. Every major scam or corruption case seems to trace back to his doorstep, while the youth of Assam are left without jobs or opportunities,” Kharge added.
The bitter exchange has added fresh heat to the BJP-Congress rivalry, turning a policy debate into a personal slugfest over development, youth employment and regional pride, with neither leader showing signs of backing down.
With inputs from PTI