BJP defends Assam Governor, rules out recall

GUWAHATI: Signalling a continuation of the standoff between the Congress in Assam and the Centre, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav on Saturday ruled out the possibility of recalling Assam governor PB Acharya, who had invited the ire of many for his comment, "Hindustan is for Hindus". Congress has served a month’s ultimatum for the governor’s removal.

Madhav countered that Assam CM Tarun Gogoi is playing divisive politics. "The governor cannot be removed just because one party wants it. Gogoi's comment that Hindispeaking people are trying to invade Assam by imposing Hindi speaking pronunciation over Assamese is an example of intolerance. If Gogoi is so averse to Hindi speaking why is he out to rope in Prashant Kishor for Assam polls," asked Madhav.

Dashing off a letter to the President, Gogoi said that the continuance of Acharya would cause difficulty in functioning of a democracy system. But Madhav alleged that with election around the corner, Gogoi is trying to create a rift between "Hindispeaking and non-Hindi-speaking people".