Guwahati: The war of words between Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal refuses to die. After the ongoing spat on micro-blogging site Twitter, the two leaders are now involved in a verbal spat with the Assam Chief Minister taking on the AAP supremo over the scale of development Kejriwal claims to have initiated by his government in the national capital.
Assam Chief Minister Sarma on Monday suggested that India should have five capitals, one in every zone, as he accused the AAP leader of “mocking at other States”.
Sarma’s jibe comes after the Delhi CM mocked at the Assam government following reports of several educational institutes in the state shutting down in the light of poor performance in the HSLC examinations, results for which were declared in June this year.
A war of words has since ensued on Twitter between the two chief ministers with the lattest coming from Assam CM Sarma who suggested that there should be five capitals, one in each zone in a bid to address the root cause of problems and curing the “disease of disparity”.
“Having been engaged in a dialogue with Delhi CM Shri @ArvindKejriwal, who’s by now in habit of mocking at other states, I’m of the view that we should work on curing the disease of disparity, and not mock poor states. Can we have 5 Capitals of India, one in every zone?” CM Sarma wrote in a series of tweets.
Having been engaged in a dialogue with Delhi CM Shri @ArvindKejriwal, who's by now in habit of mocking at other states, I'm of the view that we should work on curing the disease of disparity, and not mock poor states. Can we have 5 Capitals of India, one in every zone? 1/3
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 29, 2022
Elucidating on how this would be beneficial, CM Sarma said that the governments like Delhi had huge wealth at their disposal, while several other state governments were lagging behind in that regard. This has created a gulf between states in India, some of which are wealthy beyond their capability to work for their people.
He said that having different capitals would ensure that wealth is evenly distributed among each zone so that all-round development can take place.
“This will ensure, govts like Delhi do not have huge wealth at their disposal vis a vis North East and states from East. And of of course what we’ve been doing in health, education, communication with blessings of our PM Shri @narendramodi Ji was unheard of in last 75 years,” tweeted the Assam CM.
This will ensure, govts like Delhi do not have huge wealth at their disposal vis a vis North East and states from East. And of of course what we've been doing in health, education, communication with blessings of our PM Shri @narendramodi Ji was unheard of in last 75 years. 2/3
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 29, 2022
He also took the opportunity to strongly stand up to years of ridicule that the Northeast has suffered at the hands of rest of India. CM Sarma said that the Northeast did not need sympathy and ridicule, but respect, resources and regeneration is what it looks forward to.
“Finally, after seven decades of denial & negligence, process of mainstreaming of the North East started in 2014 by Hon PM, and the pace of progress is unrelenting. North East does not need sympathy & ridicule, we need what’s due to us – respect, resources and regeneration,” wrote CM Sarma.
Finally, after seven decades of denial & negligence, process of mainstreaming of the North East started in 2014 by Hon PM, and the pace of progress is unrelenting.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 29, 2022
North East does not need sympathy & ridicule, we need what's due to us – respect, resources and regeneration. 3/3
