Gogoi condemns comment on Irani, says "not Assamese culture"

Congress MLA Nilamani Sendeka had made the comment at a public meeting at Nalbari yesterday on the eve of Irani's visit.

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minster Tarun Gogoi on Monday said Congress MLA Nilamani Sendeka's controversial comments on Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are condemnable and they are "not Assamese culture".

"I condemn Nilamani Sen Deka's comment. He has done wrong. I asked him to apologise. He has informed me that he has already apologised," Gogoi told reporters here.

"When Himanta Biswa Sarma (former Congress leader now in BJP) was in our party and made such comments, I had reprimanded him too. Whether it is done by their party (BJP) or our party (Congress), it is not good. This is not Assamese culture," he added.

Sendeka had made the comment at a public meeting at Nalbari yesterday on the eve of Irani's visit.

The ruling party has distanced itself from Sendeka's comment and condemned it.

"The MLA's statement is his personal view and Congress is in no way connected with it. The statement is condemnable, indecent, low grade and APCC does not take responsibility for it," its chief spokesman Ripun Bora said yesterday.

BJP workers protested in front of Congress headquarters here today demanding Sendeka be handed over to them and immediately arrested. They also demanded that he be expelled from Congress.

This led to unruly scenes which forced police to burst tear gas shells.