ABVP is not related to BJP, they can ask people not to vote for me: Assam CM

Amid the brewing language controversy in the state, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, stated on Friday that the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is in no way affiliated to the BJP and that they are free to ask people not to vote for him if they choose to do so. 

“ABVP is not part of the BJP and is no way related. People had a wrong perception about ABVP being  part of BJP, but it isnt. They can protest as much as they want but I can’t do anything. They can also ask people to not vote for me if they want,” CM Sarma said.

“They are free to protest, carry out demonstrations, albeit violence,” added CM Sarma.

The Chief Minister’s response comes at a time when recently the student group demanded that the state's government-aided schools use Assamese as their primary language of instruction
The state government had decided earlier to make English the primary language of instruction in state-run schools for Classes 3 to 10.

ABVP had fiercely opposed the idea and released a strongly worded press release condemning the government’s decision. 

“We strongly condemn the government's decision against the mother tongue in this manner," ABVP stated in the press release.
“The ABVP can never accept the violation of the National Education Policy. The decision of the government of Assam to teach English as a medium in primary education is a violation of the National Education Policy," ABVP wrote in a tweet.

The Assam unit of ABVP had pleaded with the government to rethink its course of action, but it backfired when Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah allegedly made crude remarks and compared the student group to robbers and dacoits.

It's interesting to note that the student organization's massive signature drive was launched in Nalbari, the town where minister Jayanta Malla was elected to the Assam assembly. 

Surprisingly, Jayanta Malla even tendered an apology in response to his comments on the student organization. 
The ABVP is a right-wing all India student organisation affiliated to the Hindu nationalist - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It is the largest student organisation in India with more than 3 million members.