Bedlam in house : Minister’s statement on Hindus stirs heated debate

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 4, 2024

Minister Sudhangshu Das’s recent social media statement on Hindus stirred a heated debate in the state assembly today prompting the opposition to ask for his apology.Opposition members made relentless efforts to corner both the minister and the treasury bench on the issue and hailed his decision to withdraw the post after a short while.However, the Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury clarified that neither the BJP nor the state government supports Das's statement. He reminded the opposition that the right to express personal opinions is guaranteed by the Constitution of India. In support of Sudhanshu Das, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath provided an explanation for the terminology used in the controversial statement about Hindus on social media, and accused the CPI(M) of wanting to incite riots in the state.

In his defense, Sudhanshu Das targeted the Congress and CPI(M), labeling them as anti-Hindu. This led the opposition to stage a brief protest in the well of the House.During the zero hour of the Assembly session, Congress MLA Birjit Sinha raised the issue of Minister Sudhanshu Das's statement about Hindus on social media.He expressed deep concern, calling the statement unfortunate and claiming that it had unsettled the people of the state. Sinha demanded that Minister Das apologize for his sensitive comments.

This provoked a strong reaction from the treasury bench, with members vocally supporting Das. BJP MLA Abhishek Deb Roy defended the minister, arguing that, given the situation in Bangladesh, it is necessary to remain vigilant.Roy asserted that the current situation in Bangladesh has already begun to impact the state, which prompted Minister Das to issue a warning on social media.Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman strongly opposed Roy's defense, emphasizing that India is governed by the Constitution, and those who have taken an oath to uphold it cannot make hate filled statements.

He pointed out that the controversial post was later removed from social media, but criticized the minister for actions that could disrupt the peace and order of the state.Barman also cautioned that Das’s comments could have provoked violence against Hindus in neighboring Bangladesh, and reiterated his call for an apology.In response, Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury defended Sudhanshu Das, stating that although the controversial post was later deleted, neither the BJP nor the state government supports Das’s position.However, he maintained that the Constitution grants everyone the right to express their personal views. BJP MLA Binoy Bhushan Das also voiced his support for the minister.

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition questioned why no action was being taken against the minister for hate speech, noting that ordinary citizens would certainly face consequences for similar actions. He revealed that he had immediately informed the Chief Minister, the district police superintendent, and the state police director general about the controversial post, but no action had been taken As the opposition intensified their pressure, the treasury bench found itself in a tight spot. At this point, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath stepped in to defend the government. He criticized the CPI(M) for allegedly wanting to incite riots, pointing out that nowhere in Das’s statement was any minority community targeted, despite the CPI(M)’s claims.

Nath explained that the term "Jihadi" used by Das did not refer to any specific community and accused the CPI(M) of deliberately misinterpreting the statement to provoke public unrest.Barman advised Das to refrain from making such divisive statements while holding a ministerial position and having taken an oath to uphold the Constitution.In the midst of this, BJP MLAs Kishore Barman and Tofazzal Hussain stood up to support Minister Das. Kishore Barman argued that Das’s comments were an attempt to awaken their community, claiming that communists have always been antagonistic towards Hindus. Tofazzal Hussain added that Muslims had not protested against Das's remarks.Finally, Minister Sudhanshu Das in his defense quoted verses from the Gita and referencing Mahatma Gandhi.He recounted the 1946 Hindu massacre in Noakhali, the displacement of millions of Hindus during the 1971 war, and the historical injustice that Kashmiri Pandits were subjected to.

Das argued that these experiences were still relevant today and accused the Congress and CPI(M) of being anti-Hindu and supporting terrorism. His statements triggered an outburst from the opposition, leading to chaos in the Assembly.Despite the uproar, the Speaker allowed Das to continue his speech, prompting the opposition to stage a protest in the well of the House. This protest briefly heated up the Assembly session.