'Racist': BJP slams Tejashwi over 'Chinese version of Yogi' remark directed at Himanta

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla compared Tejashwi Yadav's comment to the remarks made by Sam Pitroda, the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly criticised the opposition INDIA bloc on Saturday following controversial comments made by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. In a post on social media platform X, Yadav referred to Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma as a "Chinese version of UP CM Adityanath Yogi," prompting a sharp rebuke from the BJP.

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla compared Tejashwi Yadav's comment to the remarks made by Sam Pitroda, the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress.

"Tejashwi Yadav labels Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma as a “Chinese” because he is an Assamese and from the North-East. This reflects racist mentality of the INDI Alliance and it seems Sam Pitroda has taken over mindspace of Tejashwi when he makes such racist comments," Poonawalla said.

"Does Rahul Gandhi, Gaurav Gogoi endorse this as “Muhabbat ki Dukaan”. Will they end ties with RJD for such unconstitutional, anti Bharat Jodo, racist and hateful comments?" he asked.

The RJD leader's comment came in response to the Assam assembly's decision to discontinue the two-hour break provided on Fridays to facilitate Muslim legislators to offer 'namaz'. In a post on X, Sarma said, "By doing away with the 2-hour Jumma break, Assam assembly has prioritised productivity and shed another vestige of colonial baggage. This practice was introduced by Muslim League's Syed Saadulla in 1937."

For the last time, this break was provided on August 30, the final day of the autumn session of the assembly.

Reacting to the development, Yadav said that the people of BJP have made "Muslim brothers a soft target to spread hatred, attract the attention of Modi-Shah and polarize the society."

"In an attempt to gain cheap popularity and become the "Chinese version of Yogi", the Chief Minister of Assam deliberately keeps doing acts that harass Muslims," he stated.

Separately, the Assam Assembly also passed a bill for compulsory government registration of marriage and divorce of Muslim people. Sarma, while responding to queries, clarified that the new legislation will only apply to future marriages. All existing marriage registrations performed by Kazis will retain their validity.

Earlier this year, Sam Pitroda had stoked a controversy as he reflected upon the diversity of India. Speaking about how India is a shining example of democracy in the world, Pitroda said that the people of the country have "survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together leaving a few fights here and there".

"We could hold together a country as diverse as India -- where people on East look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like maybe White and people in South look like Africa. It doesn't matter. We are all brothers and sisters," said Pitroda, during an interview with The Statesman.