Guwahati (Assam) [India], October 31 (ANI): All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) leader Rafiqul Islam expressed his resentment after the national anthem of Bangladesh ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ was allegedly played at a meeting of the Congress committee of Sribhumi district, and said that this was unacceptable.
He said that people of Assam should not recite the national anthems of Pakistan or Bangladesh.
Speaking to ANI, Rafiqul Islam said, “I believe that the people of Assam should not sing Bangladesh’s national anthem during official meetings. What happened at the Congress meeting was unacceptable. The Chief Minister of Assam invoking the NSA in this matter is a bit too much. The people of Assam should not recite the national anthems of Pakistan or Bangladesh, is what I believe.”
Earlier, calling it a “blatant disrespect” to the people of India, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday ordered the state police to register a case in the matter.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Sarma said, “Two days ago, the district Congress committee of Sribhumi district performed the national anthem of Bangladesh in place of the national anthem of India. This is a blatant disrespect of the people of India. It is in line with the new claim by some Bangladesh citizens that the north-east will eventually be part of Bangladesh.”
“I have instructed Assam Police to register a case against the district committee of Sribhumi district and take action as per law,” the CM added.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also slammed Congress over the incident and said that the opposition party loves Bangladeshi infiltrators, adding that they are putting “votebankniti’ over “rashtraniti”.
“Assam government has ordered the action against Congress party functionaries that has sung the Bangladeshi national anthem. Congress has not only joined hands with Pakistan but with Bangladesh too. Congress loves Bangladeshi infiltrators. They are endorsing the anti-India agenda, which is coming from there. Necessary action must be taken,” he said.
However, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi came to the defence of state unit leaders and said that ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ was composed by Rabindranath Tagore, reflecting the sentiments of Bengali culture.
“The BJP has always insulted the Bengali language, Bengali culture and the people of Bengal. Their IT Cell has also insulted people of Bengal in the past. They have shown ignorance by not knowing the history of Rabindranath Tagore. I think the people of Bengal and Bengali-speaking people in different parts of the country have recognised that the BJP only uses them for votes,” he said. (ANI)
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