Deposit your dignity to stay in Congress: CM Sarma mocks party culture
Chief Minister accused the Grand Old Party of sidelining its leaders & training them to 'endure humiliation'
A file image of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (Photo:@himantabiswa/X)
Guwahati, June 19: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Thursday, accused the Congress party of systematically humiliating its own leaders and claimed that “joining Congress means putting your self-respect in fixed deposit.”
Speaking to the press on the sidelines on an event at Kalakshetra, Sarma referred to former APCC chief Bhupen Borah, suggesting that despite holding a key position as chairman of the campaign committee, Borah’s opinions were not sought in decision-making.
“If you are in Congress, you have to keep your self-respect in fixed deposit. Only those who can deposit their dignity in the bank can survive in Congress,” Sarma said.
“Ask Bhupen Borah, he prepared a long list of observers. Was he even consulted before they were sent? Did anyone call him? Not even a minor courtesy. And the absence of his photo is a small issue compared to the disregard he faces. Yet he remains silent,” said the Chief Minister.
Sarma contrasted this with the decision-making structure of the BJP, stating that the party respects internal consultations and values inputs from all leaders.
“In BJP, if we take a decision, we consult senior leaders like Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita. If it concerns the government, I brief Dilip Saikia and take his views. Even today, Saikia involves all seniors in major decisions,” Sarma added.
He further alleged that the Congress trains its leaders to tolerate humiliation, and even mocked the leadership style within the party.
“They talk about cleaning the party, but how will that happen when the source of all the dirt, the Gandhi family, still controls Congress? You can't purify water if the source is dirty. Until the Gandhi family is removed, Congress will remain tainted.”
Responding to rumors about Borah joining the BJP, Sarma dismissed them as internal speculation by Congress members themselves.
“There’s been no conversation with me. The rumor is being spread more by Rajiv Bhawan than Vajpayee Bhawan. Congress promotes such theories, someone becomes a leader and lets others go.”
Sarma also remarked that the BJP is open to welcoming people from Congress, as it has done in the past with himself and leaders like Pijush Hazarika and Jayanta Mallabaruah.
“BJP has treated us well. Anyone who joins will be treated with dignity. If Congress is keen on cleaning, let them come. Guwahati is becoming dirty too, a cleanup would help", he concluded.