Himanta Biswa Sarma alleges George Soros links with Assam MP

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged on Sunday that an MP from the state has links with US-based billionaire George Soros, amid the BJP’s charge against the Congress central leadership of conniving with the investor to destabilise the country.

Sarma, however, did not mention the name or party of the MP.

“An Assam MP also has links with George Soros. I don’t want to get into this controversy,” Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of a programme, when asked about the Congress-Soros issue.

To a question whether the MP in question had won his election with financial help from the US investor, the CM said, “I cannot comment on it as I have no evidence. Anyway, I am not much interested in this matter.” He added that the journalists themselves can find out about the links between Soros and the state MP.

On the Prime Minister’s speech in Lok Sabha on Saturday, Sarma said, “(Narendra) Modi ji has totally exposed the Congress… The fact that the Congress members could sit and hear him out was a big thing, it shows how shameless they are.” Replying to a two-day discussion in the Lok Sabha on “The glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India”, the prime minister had on Saturday accused the Congress of repeatedly mutilating the Constitution, having “tasted blood” in its “greed” for power, as he asserted that his government’s policies and decisions since 2014 have been aimed at boosting India’s strength and unity.

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“Modi ji has shown them the mirror…Congress is not saying that he was lying. Whatever Modi ji said, is all in the recorded statement,” the CM said.

On the ‘one nation, one election’ Bill, Sarma said once it is introduced in Parliament, all sides will be able to place their views.

“When the discussion takes place in the Parliament, our people will understand its benefits,” he added.

Sarma maintained that when elections are not conducted simultaneously, development becomes slow due to imposition of the model code of conduct at different periods and expenses are also high for holding separate polls.

“It is beneficial for all if elections are held together. It saves money, campaign will be together (for state and Lok Sabha polls). Expenses of political parties will also be saved,” he said.

Mentioning of simultaneous elections after Independence, the BJP leader said, “When Congress started to impose President’s Rule (in states), dismiss the Assemblies, this situation (of elections at different times) arose. No one could have thought at the time of Independence that today’s situation could have emerged.” On the Uniform Civil Code, Sarma said, “Modi ji has said a secular civil code will be worked out and I fully support it.”