GUWAHATI:
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma committed a major faux pas on May 10 when he referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah as Prime Minister at a crowded public rally in Guwahati. The embarrassment would have ended there had he not also referred to Narendra Modi as the union home minister.
The incident, which left both the ruling party and the government red-faced, had taken place when Sarma started heaping praise on the prime minister and union home minister for helping the state progress on all fronts since he took over as the chief minister.
The one minute clip went viral on social media and triggered an all round reaction from Dispur to Delhi, forcing the CM’s office to take immediate action and remove the clip immediately.
The rally had been held at the Veterinary College Playground at Khanapara to commemorate the first anniversary of the BJP-led government.
Faux pas apart, the CM lauded Modi and Shah for their roles in initiatives such as the Bodo accord, the Karbi peace accord, removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from 23 districts of the state. Sarma said these and other initiatives led to what one can call a period of general peace and prosperity.
Expressing his gratitude to the people of Assam for voting the BJP and its alliance partners to power once again in 2021, the chief minister stated that his government has been trying its best to work for the welfare of the residents of the state for the last one year.
“It is for the first time that a non-Congress government has been formed in the state consecutively for two times. Due credit goes to the former chief minister and present union minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The ministers and legislators have been working day and night for the past 365 days with the ideals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the guiding light,” Sarma said.
Sarma went on to talk about the massive improvement in reduction in crime rates in the state and the government’s tough measures on the drug menace. He also said that the current government has been able to impart a sense of confidence in the minds of the indigenous population of the state by working towards their empowerment since the first day of taking power.
The chief minister also spoke about the various initiatives the current government either took or was about to take for the overall welfare of the residents of the state. The many initiatives included, providing jobs to around 25,000 youths on May 14, bringing another six lakh beneficiaries under the pro-poor Orunodai scheme and increasing the monthly remuneration under the scheme from the current Rs 1,000 to Rs 1250.
The event was also attended by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of State Rameshwar Teli, BJP Assam pradesh president Bhabesh Kalita, state agriculture minister and AGP president Atul Bora, BTR chief and UPPL president Pramod Boro, along with a host of senior Cabinet ministers and legislators.