Congress Calls BJP Leader "Bangladeshi", Himanta Sarma's "Italian" Rebuttal

Himanta Sarma asked why Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh who have long been residents of India, should face criticism for being a candidate in election.

Targeting Congress for trying to project a BJP bypoll candidate in Assam as a "Bangladeshi", Chief Minister Himanta Sarma on Tuesday said questions can also be raised on the nationality of the Opposition party's top leader Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Sarma asked why Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh who have long been residents of India, should face criticism for being a candidate in election.

The Congress, in its campaigning for the Dholai constituency in Barak Valley, has cast doubts about the citizenship of BJP candidate Nihar Ranjan Das, claiming that it was a BJP leader who first raised the allegation.