Assam CM Himanta hits back at Rahul, says Gandhi family 'most corrupt' in India

Guwahati, Jan 18 (PTI) Hours after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma the "most corrupt CM" in India, the BJP leader on Thursday launched a counterattack and termed the Gandhi family "the most corrupt" one in the country.

"According to me, the Gandhi family is the most corrupt family in the country," Sarma told reporters here after a function of BJP workers at its state headquarters.

He also alleged that the Gandhi family is carrying a "duplicate" name.

"They are not only corrupt but also duplicate. Their family name is not even Gandhi, (but) they are carrying their duplicate names. I can catch if someone carries a duplicate licence, but I don't know what happens if one carries a duplicate title. That is why they are roaming," Sarma added.

He alleged that from the Bofors scam to helping Union Carbide CEO Warren M Anderson, who was an accused in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, escape from the country, the Gandhi family has been involved in many corruption cases.

His statement came following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's accusations that the BJP-led government in Assam and Sarma himself are the most corrupt in the country.

Talking about the Yatra, the Chief Minister said: "This is not a 'Nyay Yatra', it's a 'Miya Yatra'. Wherever there are Muslims, there will be a crowd. Wherever there are no Muslims, there will be no crowd." 'Miya' is originally a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam and the non-Bengali speaking people generally identify them as Bangladeshi immigrants. In recent years, activists from the community have started adopting this term as a gesture of defiance.

"Even their women will not come out, only the men will be there. In Assam, it will be a Miya Yatra minus women. I am not giving much importance to this Yatra because a handful of Miyas will participate in it," the BJP leader said.

Sarma had in October last year said that BJP does not need the votes of 'Miya' people of 'char' (riverine sandbar) areas for the next 10 years, till they reform themselves by leaving aside practices such as child marriage.

"There was no crowd in the first meeting (of the Yatra). While travelling in Mariani, only a few people gathered at Deberpar. Please find out which community lives there. When the Yatra will pass Guwahati and move towards Dhubri, there will be some people, but without women," Sarma claimed.

The Congress is representing only one segment of the Muslims. Earlier, all used to participate in Congress meetings, but this time mothers and sisters will not join, and the fathers will also stop coming to them slowly, he added.

Asked if the march would pass through Guwahati, Sarma said his government had told them not to travel through the city as it has medical colleges and hospitals.

"We will give permission for any alternative route if they seek," he added.

If the Congress reach Guwahati without permission, no case will be filed then as "I don't want to give them unnecessary limelight in the national media", he said.

A case will be filed later and two "bad elements" participating in the rally will be arrested 3-4 months after the Lok Sabha elections, the chief minister said without divulging the identity of his "targets".

The Assam leg of the march, which began on Thursday morning, will continue till January 25.

The Yatra commenced from Manipur on January 14 and will culminate on March 20 in Mumbai. PTI