The Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent attribution of blame to Christians for the North-East Democratic Alliance’s inability to win even a single seat in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur has invited outrage of the Rising People’s Party (RPP).
The RPP said in a press statement on Friday that, after berating Christians at every given opportunity since he joined the BJP, it is outrageous that the Assam Chief Minister is now blaming Christians.
“Mr Sarma is too arrogant to admit that the common people, whether Christians, Hindus, or Muslims, are intelligent enough to vote for the party of their choice. For instance, the near-majority Hindu Meiteis of Inner Manipur voted overwhelmingly for the Congress this time,” the RPP said.
RPP said that Sarma, in his haughtiness, does not want to admit that the Hindu Meiteis in their anger voted for Congress because Prime Minister Modi refused to even acknowledge that violence was and is happening in Manipur.
The RPP said it is shameful that Sarma has time and again lowered the dignity of the Chief Minister’s office with his bullying attitude, whether in his undignified outbursts and usage of coarse language against his political opponents, or whether gleefully dancing to the tune of the song “Okora Naga.”
Sarma must remember that perhaps unlike his nature the Nagas of Nagaland were magnanimous enough to let pass the “Okora Naga” incident, it added.
In hindsight, the RPP said Sarma picked up from where JDU Nagaland and the NDPP candidate left off by blaming the NBCC and Dr Villo Naleo for Congress’ victory in Nagaland. It reminded the parties involved in blaming the NBCC – and Dr Naleo, that their narrative insults the intelligence of the voters, and takes them for fools.
Given NEDA’s debacle, perhaps the chief ministers of Nagaland and Meghalaya can now breathe easy since Sarma’s overbearing attitude is now likely to tone down, the RPP added.