Assam CM Himanta Sarma’s ‘Hussain Obama’ remark sparks row
Himanta Biswa Sarma said, 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
Hyderabad: Himanta Biswa is in a hot soup for his ‘Hussain Obama’ remark on Friday. Sarma was responding to a journalist on Twitter.
When journalist Rohini Singh sarcastically questioned whether Assam police were on their way to Washington to arrest Barack Obama quoting the former US President’s ‘safeguarding Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India’ remark, the Assam Chief Minister responded by saying that there are plenty of ‘Hussain Obamas’ in India to take care.
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“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 (sic),” he wrote, quoting the tweet.
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
Ironically, his remarks came just hours after PM Narendra Modi’s statement in the White House presser that there is ‘no discrimination in India on the grounds of caste or religion’ because his government follows the Constitution, which is formed on the basic values of democracy.
“When you talk of democracy, if there are no human values and there is no humanity, there are no human rights then that is not a democracy at all. So when you talk about democracy and you accept democracy and when we live democracy, then there is absolutely no space for discrimination,” the Prime Minister asserted.
Sarma’s remark caused a huge stir on social media with Twitterati and the opposition reacting sharply.
“Isn’t this an acknowledgement of religious discrimination by Chief Minister of Assam @himantabiswa by threatening to ‘take care’ Indians like ‘Hussain Obama’ (stresses on the name) who criticize Indian govt and speaks in line with Former US President @BarackObama? (sic),” wrote fact-checker Mohammed Zubair.
“This coming from the Chief Minister of a State. Please do give us more evasive lectures on democracy & claims of “no discrimination on the basis of Caste, creed and community”. Please gaslight those raising questions on the rights of minorities in India (sic),” wrote another user.
‘My friend Barack’ is now Hussain Obama!
Actually Himanta has answered what PM Modi was asked at White House.
His insinuation – about President Obama being a muslim and Indian Muslims need to be taught a lesson – was the question’s premise.
What is the PM, MEA and Govt of… https://t.co/a5HISKtsWY
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) June 23, 2023
As the Prime Minister continues his state visit to the US, a BJP Chief Minister makes a jibe at Muslims, only hours after the PM stressed there was no discrimination against minorities in India. Wonder how this will go down https://t.co/YVmSWHoB5A
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) June 23, 2023
A day after Modi claimed no discrimination against Muslims during the press conference at the White House, his colleague from the BJP — the sitting Chief Minister of an Indian state, no less — openly proves him wrong by spewing anti-Muslim bigotry👇🏽 https://t.co/qtx76nxaqn
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) June 23, 2023
Obama in an interview with ‘CNN’ on Thursday, said that India may “pull apart” if the rights of the religious and ethnic minorities are not upheld. “If I had a conversation with Prime Minister Modi, who I know well, part of my argument would be that if you don’t protect the rights of ethnic minorities in India, there is a strong possibility that India would at some point start pulling apart,” Obama reportedly said.
