Shillong, November 8: Assam Police took Congress MLA Aftab Uddin Mollah into custody due to his alleged offensive remarks about temples and namghars, which ignited a statewide controversy.
As per IANS, Mollah’s arrest occurred at his residence on Tuesday night, and he was subsequently questioned by Guwahati Commissioner of Police Diganta Borah at Dispur police station.
Aftab Uddin Mollah, representing the Jaleshwar constituency in Assam, came under scrutiny following his public statement. During a public meeting, he asserted, “Wherever there is any criminal activity, priests, namgharias, and saints are involved. The same picture everywhere.” These comments quickly spread on social media, prompting Mollah to issue an unconditional apology for his words.
Assam state Congress President Bhupen Bara acknowledged the inappropriateness of Aftab Uddin’s remarks and accepted his apology. However, the Congress party has served the MLA with a show-cause notice, signed by Bhupen Bara, requesting an explanation for his statements. The notice also hints at potential action against Mollah if he fails to respond adequately.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed the view that while an apology can be made for inappropriate comments, the legal consequences must also be considered. Shortly after Sarma’s statement, an individual filed a complaint against Aftab Uddin Mollah, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments. Consequently, the Congress MLA was apprehended based on this complaint.