New Delhi: Taking potshots at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his “childish” and “condemnable” remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said the former now speaks the language of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) who always indulge in character assassination.
“It’s a childish and condemnable statement. For sake of power, he (Assam CM) went to the BJP and now speaks the language of the PM and the RSS who always indulge in character assassination,” he said, ANI reported.
Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said that he never expected such remarks from Sarma.
“A CM should know when and what to say,” he added expressing his ire.
Earlier on Saturday, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao urged Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda to sack Sarma for his controversial remarks on Gandhi.
“PM Modi ji, is this the ‘sanskaar’ (etiquettes) or our Hindu ritual to question an MP about the identity of his father. This was done by your BJP Chief Minister,” Rao said addressing a public event in Nalgonda.
“My head hangs in shame and my eyes are in tears after I heard this. This is not a good thing for the country,” he added.
Asserting “there is a limit to holding on to patience”, Rao said: “How can the Chief Minister of Assam talk like this?”
The Assam Chief Minister had earlier on Friday launched a blistering attack on Gandhi for allegedly demanding proof of India’s surgical strike and airstrike in Pakistan in 2016 and 2019 respectively.
Sarma asked whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ever demanded proof of him being the “son of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi”.
“Look at the mentality of these people. General Bipin Rawat was the pride of the country. India conducted the surgical strike in Pakistan under his leadership. Rahul Gandhi demanded proof of the strike,” said Sarma during a rally in poll-bound Uttarakhand.
“Did we ever ask you for proof of whether you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not? What right do you have to demand proof from my Army?” he added.