EC issues show-cause notice to Assam CM for ‘Akbar’ remarks

NEW DELHI: With the Election Commission issuing a show-cause notice to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his remarks targeting Chhattisgarh minister Mohammad Akbar, the Congress on Thursday said he is a “serial offender” and hoped the poll watchdog will take this case to its “logical conclusion”.

The commission has asked Sarma to respond to the notice by 5 pm on October 30.

The EC action came a day after the Congress filed a complaint with it against Sarma.

In a speech in Kawardha in Chhattisgarh on October 18, Sarma had taken a controversial dig at Akbar saying that “the land of Mata Kaushalya will get defiled if Akbar isn’t sent off.”

“If one Akbar comes to some place, he calls 100 Akbars. So, send him off as soon as possible, otherwise the land of Mata Kaushalya will get defiled,” he said.Mata Kaushalya, the mother of Lord Ram, is believed to hail from what is modern day Chhattisgarh.

Sarma also attacked the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh over several issues, including religious conversion.

“Today, the tribals of Chhattisgarh, who are dear to us, are being encouraged to

convert their religion on a daily basis.

And when someone raises their voice against it, Bhupesh Baghel ji says ‘we are secular’. Is beating up Hindus your secularism? This country is a country of the Hindus and will belong to Hindus.

Do not teach us secularism, we do not need to learn secularism from you,” he said.