Himanta Biswa Sarma slams Mamata Banerjee for her 'burn' remark, says 'How dare you threaten Assam?

In a sharp rebuttal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma lashed out on his Bengal counterpart on Wednesday, condemning her provocative remarks that linked the ongoing protests in Kolkata to a broader crisis reminiscent of the Bangladesh upheaval.

Reacting to Banerjee's assertion that unrest in Bengal would ignite similar chaos in Assam and Delhi, Sarma accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader of attempting to destabilize India through what he termed her "politics of failure." Sarma expressed his disapproval in a fiery tweet, warning, "Didi, how dare you threaten Assam? Don’t show us your bloodshot eyes. Don’t try to set India on fire with your divisive politics. Such language does not suit a leader like you."

Sarma’s strong words were echoed by Piyush Hazarika, a senior BJP leader from Assam, who condemned Banerjee's comments, stating, "She cannot bully or threaten us. I strongly condemn her remarks. She struggles to maintain law and order in her own state and now threatens Assam. I assure you, such tactics will not work here."

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Union Minister and Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar also criticized Banerjee, suggesting that her statements reflected an "anti-national" sentiment, unbecoming of someone holding a constitutional position.

Banerjee’s comments came during a speech at the foundation day celebration of the TMC's student wing, where she sharply criticized the BJP for the violence that erupted during the recent bandh (strike) and the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march to the state secretariat. The TMC government has been under intense scrutiny and has faced widespread protests following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Hospital.

In her address, Banerjee drew a controversial parallel, referencing the student protests in Bangladesh that led to the downfall of the Sheikh Hasina government, stating, "Some people think this agitation is similar to the protests in Bangladesh. I love Bangladesh; they speak like us and share our culture. However, Bangladesh is a different country." She further accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of orchestrating unrest in Bengal, warning, "If you burn Bengal, Assam, the North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will also burn."

The situation in Bengal escalated as the BJP’s 12-hour bandh on Wednesday turned violent, with clashes reported between BJP workers, TMC supporters, and the police in several regions. BJP leader Priyangu Pandey alleged that TMC supporters attacked him, claiming that bombs were hurled, and shots were fired at his car in Bhatpara.