GUWAHATI, Oct 1: Assam Congress on Friday issued a showcause notice to party MLA from Baghbar constituency, Sherman Ali Ahmed over breach of party discipline for “deliberately acting in a way calculated to lower the prestige of the party.”
Ahmed had, while reacting to the Gorukhuti eviction drive in a section of the media, allegedly dishonoured eight martyrs of the Assam Agitation and termed them ‘killers’.
At least eight persons were allegedly killed by suspected Bangladeshi migrants in the Dholpur area of Gorukhuti in 1983.
The legislator, who has made contentious statements earlier as well, has been asked by the party to give a reply within three days of receiving the notice.
“It has been observed by All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) that despite holding a responsible position as an MLA of Congress, you have time and again given statements in the media and in public forums against party policies and matters with communal overtones, having great propensity to destroy the social harmony of our state,” the show-cause notice by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Friday, read.
“As a lawmaker, your communally provocative comments in the media, gnawing at old wounds of the past incidents of the Assam Agitation when people across communities had suffered, is totally insensitive and uncalled for,” the notice read.
“APCC views your comments as politically motivated with intent to cause damage to the Congress party just prior to the by-elections,” it read.
The party stated that the MLA had on occasions earlier as well, given communally provocative statements and gone against party discipline.
“Despite warnings from the party leadership you have again made communally provocative comments on Assam Agitation incidents on September 29, 2021 and September 30, 2021 in front of the media that has gone viral on social media platforms as well which is not acceptable to the Congress party and APCC views that such comments will further give fuel to the BJP’s divisive communal agenda in Assam,” the notice read.
“Allegations are also rife within the party and even outside that you are acting as an agent of the BJP while being a part of the Congress and that due to your closeness to chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, you are being sponsored to make such comments to cause damage to the Congress, especially during election time,” it read.
“Under the circumstances, the APCC president seeks explanation from you for your actions and also why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for making communally provocative statements with intent to disturb social harmony prior to the by-elections,” the notice read.