Congress MLA demands 'unconditional apology' from Himanta after Assam CM calls Priyank Kharge 'first-class idiot' | Video

Priyank Kharge

Karnataka Congress MLA Pradeep Eshwar on Tuesday hit out at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his remarks against state Minister for Electronics, IT/BT Priyank Kharge, demanding an “unconditional apology” to both the minister and the people of Karnataka.

“Himanta Biswa Sarma, I strongly condemn the statement you have given about my IT Minister and the people of Karnataka,” Eshwar said, addressing the controversy. “You should ask for an unconditional apology to the people of my state and the IT Minister. The IT Minister represents the youth of Karnataka.”

Eshwar highlighted Karnataka’s achievements in technology and innovation, pointing out that Bengaluru leads the nation in multiple sectors. “We have a great talent pool in Bengaluru. We are number one in IT. We are number one in startups. We are the Silicon capital of India, we are the garden city, we are number one in renewable energy,” he said. “Forty-three percent of IT exports come from Bengaluru. We are number one in sandalwood, in silk, and 60% of biotech industries are in Karnataka. We have a better talent pool than any other state.”

The MLA also referred to Sarma’s earlier praise for Karnataka’s ecosystem. “In the previous year, you tweeted and said that you were sending some 1,500 youths from Assam to Bengaluru for leadership skills,” Eshwar reminded the Assam Chief Minister. “We respect the youth of Assam, so please respect the youth of Karnataka.”

The remarks come a day after the escalating war of words between Biswa Sarma and Kharge.

Sarma had called Kharge a “first-class idiot,” accusing him of “insulting Assamese youth” after the minister allegedly said there was no talent in Assam to support large-scale industries like a semiconductor plant. “Perhaps, we might file a case against him because he has said that Assam does not have educated youth,” Sarma told reporters in Guwahati. “It is an insult to the entire Assamese youth.”

Responding sharply to Sarma’s statements, Kharge accused the Assam Chief Minister of “twisting” his words and attempting to “whitewash his failures” by giving them a political spin. “As usual, the BJP and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma are twisting my words,” he wrote on X. “My statement is clear and very specific -- it was about how semiconductor companies were being pressured to set up in Gujarat and Assam, even when they had expressed a clear interest in Karnataka because of our engineering talent and established ecosystem.”

#WATCH | Guwahati | Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "Priyank Kharge is a first-class idiot. He has insulted Assamese youth, and Congress has not yet condemned this. Perhaps, we might file a case against him because he has said that Assam does not have educated youth. It is an… pic.twitter.com/F6vQeqHIxu

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Kharge further hit out at the Assam government’s record, alleging that the state “ranks among the bottom five in crucial development indicators like health, education, and economic growth,” citing NITI Aayog’s latest report. “The only thing Sarma has managed to grow is his own wealth,” he said.

“Every major scam or corruption case seems to trace back to his doorstep, while the youth of Assam are left without jobs or opportunities,” Kharge added. “Instead of twisting my words, Sarma should focus on addressing unemployment and governance failures.”

Claiming that “the BJP’s days in Assam are numbered,” Kharge said a Congress government would prioritize “skilling, employability, and rebuilding faith in governance.” He added, “We will create an environment where talent thrives in every corner of the state and young people are free from the grip of corrupt governance and divisive politics of a 3rd rate crook.”