Dibrugarh MLA Prasanta Phukan said that the state’s BJP-led government had earmarked Rs.100 crore in the budget for minority development but it received no “output” or support for the BJP from the Muslim community.
Guwahati: Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Prasanta Phukan, who represents the Dibrugarh Assembly constituency stirred controversy in Assam when he said that Muslims were likes cows that don’t give milk.
This statement comes weeks after Union Minister Maneka Gandhi said she might not be inclined to work for Muslims who do not vote for her
“It is common knowledge that 90% of Muslims did not vote for us in the Lok Sabha election. There is no point in providing fodder to a cow that does not produce milk,” he said earlier this week.
His remark did not go down well with leaders of the minority community.
“Anwar Hussain Laskar, All India United Democratic Front MLA from Hailakandi, said only a deranged person could make such a statement. Nekibur Zaman, an advocate of the Gauhati High Court, said the BJP should suspend Mr. Phukan for the “shameless and condemnable” observation about Muslims. “His party should censure him for the cow analogy that is unbecoming of an elected representative,” he said, The Hindu reported.
Phukan did not budge and said that his statement was misinterpreted. “I used a popular Assamese proverb on cows to drive home a point. I did not say anything wrong,” he said.
He added that the state’s BJP-led government had earmarked Rs.100 crore in the budget for minority development but it received no “output” or support for the BJP from the Muslim community.
Senior advocate Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury of Gauhati High Court wondered as to why action against Phukan was not taken yet by the Assembly speaker or the governor. He insisted that the police register a case suo motu against the MLA.
“A case under non-bailable Sections of IPC should be registered against him as he committed a grave crime,” Choudhury said, adding, “If action against him is not taken then amity and brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims in Assam will cease to exist”.
Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia on Thursday wrote to the Speaker of Assam Assembly Hitendra Nath Goswami demanding appropriate action against the MLA Prasanta Phukan for his alleged derogatory comment on the Muslim community in the State. He urged the Speaker to examine remarks of Phukan and take appropriate action.