He got agitated by my remark but not by Rahul Gandhi's comment on Army: Sarma hits back at KCR

Hitting back at K Chandrashekar Rao for demanding his resignation over remark against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the Telangana Chief Minister got agitated by his statement but not by the Wayanad MP's comment on the Army.

Sarma said that the mindset of 'Gandhi parivaar is above all' should go away or else it will hamper the spirit of democracy.

"I believe that questioning the Army whether they have carried out the surgical strike or not, it the biggest crime. He (Telangana CM KCR) got agitated by my comment on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi but not by Rahul Gandhi's comment on our Army," Sarma said.

"The mindset that 'Gandhi parivaar is above all' should leave. Otherwise, it will hamper the spirit of democracy," he added.

Earlier, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda to sack Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his comments on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioning his parentage.

Addressing a public event today, Rao said, "PM Modi ji, is this the 'sanskaar' (etiquettes) or our Hindu ritual to question an MP about the identity of his father. This was done by your BJP Chief Minister. My head hangs in shame and my eyes are in tears after I heard this. This is not a good thing for the country."

"How can the Chief Minister of Assam talk like this? There is a limit to holding on to patience," he added.

Rao's remarks came after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched a blistering attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for demanding proof of India's surgical strike in Pakistan in 2016 and airstrike in 2019, and asked whether the BJP had ever demanded proof of him being the "son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi" and added that the Wayanad MP had no right to demand proof from the Army.

Addressing a public meeting, Sarma said, "Look at the mentality of these people. General Bipin Rawat was the pride of the country. India conducted the surgical strike in Pakistan under his leadership. Rahul Gandhi demanded proof of the strike. Did we ever ask you for proof of whether you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not? What right do you have to demand proof from my Army?"

Hitting out further, the Assam Chief Minister said that once the Army said that the strike was conducted then there is no dispute on its legitimacy.

"If our Army said that they conducted the strike in Pakistan, that means they have done it. Where is the dispute in this? Do you not trust General Bipin Rawat? If he said that the Army conducted the strike, that means it's done. Why do you want proof of it? Do not disrespect the soldiers. People die for the country. People do not live for others but for the country," Sarma said while addressing a public meeting in the poll-bound state of Uttarakhand.

Notably, the Indian Army had conducted a Surgical strike in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in September 2016 after 19 of the Indian Army soldiers were killed in the base camp in Uri. The Indian Air Force had carried out an Airstrike in February 2019 following a suicide bomber attack on the convoy of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on February 14.

( With inputs from ANI )

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