Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Challenges AASU Leader Samujjal Bhattacharya to 'Open Debate' on CAA & NRC

Guwahati, December 26, 2019:

Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has finally agreed for an open debate on the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Sarma, in one of his tweets, called out to the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) Advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya for an open debate on the CAA and NRC in Guwahati’s Sankardev Kalashetra. He was ready for a discussion on the factual details given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

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Himanta Biswa Sarma was responding to a tweet of Stand-up comedian Abhineet Mishra, who had requested the former for a debate on CAA and NRC on a channel.

Mishra had tweeted, “Dear @himantabiswa, I have a request. Let's do a small panel debate on #CAA_NRC on a channel and time of your choosing. Let's have a live audience. Either you convince us or I convince you. Works? PS: @assampolice: This is NOT a provocative post. Sending pyaar.”

To this, the Finance Minister replied that he had already requested the AASU Advisor to join for a debate. “I have already publicly requested Advisor of AASU Sri Samujjal Bhattacharya to join us for a debate in Srimanta Sankardebava kalakhetra on CAA, NRC and on the factual details of assurances given by Honble HM @AmitShah during his discussion with AASU leadership.”

It may be mentioned here that AASU members, through the widespread peaceful protests had urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Biswa Sarma to intimate the general public on the issue of CAA.

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AASU Advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya and General Secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi had been vocal about the state government’s stand on the law and order situation of Assam, following the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (now CAA).

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