Assam’s two main opposition parties — the Congress and the AIUDF — on Wednesday questioned Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarmas campaign to hoist 80 lakh national flags at houses, offices and commercial establishments across the state from August 13 to 15 to mark 75 years of India’s Independence.
Assam Congress spokesperson Apurba Bhattacharjee said that Sarma seems to have forgotten that for years the tricolour was not hoisted at the RSS headquarters, though he is now serving the same organisation.
“So is RSS anit-national? He is like Ratnakar who became Valmiki… people don’t need your (Sarma’s) lessons on patriotism. The people of India fought against the British and ousted them from the country. So before making comment on what the countrymen should do, he should look at his own responsibilities first,” Bhattacharjee told the media.
The Congress spokesman said that Sarma can make loose comments on NRC (National Register of Citizens) as it’s a domestic law, but he can not pass judgment on people’s patriotism.
The Assam Chief Minister, as part of the nation-wide ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, has been saying for the past few days that hoisting the tricolour gives more credibility as an Indian than applying for NRC to prove nationality.
“National flags will be available for Rs 16 in ration shops. We will not get it for free, because we have an obligation towards the country. We won’t accept flags given by others, we will buy them ourselves,” Sarma had said.
Meanwhile, leader of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Rafikul Islam, said that Sarma should first ask Mohan Bhagwat why the national flag was not hoisted at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur till 2002.
“First make it clear whether RSS is patriotic. Everyone in Assam is involved in the NRC process, and the BJP cannot define what is patriotism,” the AIUDF leader pointed out.
