Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's ‘Hussain Obama’ remark sparks row

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 23 created a stir after he responded to a journalist who quoted former US President Barack Obama’s ‘safeguarding Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India’ remark, asking whether Assam police were on their way to Washington to arrest Obama.

While responding to the journalist, Sarma said that there are plenty of ‘Hussain Obamas’ in India and that the state prioritizes taking care of them over travelling to Washington. 

“There are many Hussain Obama in India itself. We should prioritize taking care of them before considering going to Washington. The Assam police will act according to our own priorities,” the Assam CM tweeted.

There are many Hussain Obama in India itself. We should prioritize taking care of them before considering going to Washington. The Assam police will act according to our own priorities. https://t.co/flGy2VY1eC

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 23, 2023

His comments come just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a news conference at the White House claimed that ‘there is no discrimination in India’ based on caste or religion.

Former US President Barack Obama said in a conversation with the news channel CNN on June 22 that during the meeting with PM Modi, President Joe Biden should talk about the issue of the security of minorities in India. 

Obama further said that if he were the President, he would have told PM, Modi, that if the rights of minorities are not protected in India, there would be a strong possibility that India would be isolated.

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