Akhil under fire for 'commul' remark

The peasant leader's tone and tenor resembles those of Maoist ideologues in central and north India, says Siddhartha Bhattacharjee

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Aug 26: Akhil Gogoi's tone and tenor of statements resembles those of Maoist ideologues in central and north India, State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharjee said, two days after the peasant leader alleged that Himanta Biswa Sarma's joining the BJP was beginning of a 'Brahmanization' politics.

"In Assam, we have never heard any political leader or activist speaking on commul lines. Perhaps, this was the first such case," Bhattacharjee said.

"We hear such kind of language, tone and tenor when Maoist ideologue's in central and north India speak. Maoists carry out similar campaigns on the basis of caste and community in some parts of the country," the BJP leader said, adding that the people of Assam will reject such propaganda.

Meanwhile, alleging that Akhil Gogoi was casting aspersions on the Brahmin community, president of the Sadharan Jati Bikash Juwa Parishad Bipul Sarma has demanded an apology from the peasant leader within 24 hours. Gogoi had said that Himanta Biswa Sarma's BJP joining was part of a 'Brahmanization' ploy. "The statement proves that you are a hardcore commul person," Sarma said in an open letter to Gogoi. "We have heard that you had purchased a Rs-90 crore flat at Noida, manipulated the reservation system in B Barooah College to ensure a job to his wife, etc. We will be forced to get unearth the truth behind these rumours if you do not tender an apology," Sarma told Gogoi.