Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 29: A fresh row has erupted after Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (A) chief Arshad Madani claimed that he had written to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, urging her not to give an election ticket to Himanta Biswa Sarma during his Congress days, citing his “RSS mentality.”

Reacting sharply, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Madani has warned me, Rahul Gandhi had threatened me earlier. The more they threaten me, the more the people of Assam will rise. We will continue eviction drives to protect the land rights of the indigenous people. I challenge Madani and Rahul Gandhi to fight against the Assamese people — they will be defeated.”

BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya also reacted, alleging that Congress stood on the “wrong side of the civilisational debate” while questioning if clerics decided Congress tickets.

Sarma, first elected in 2001 as a Congress MLA, held key portfolios in the Tarun Gogoi government before quitting the party in 2014. He joined the BJP in 2015 and became the Chief Minister of Assam in 2021.

This is the second time in a week that the Assam Chief Minister has responded to Madani’s remarks on eviction drives.