Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued an apology on Thursday for a deleted social media post referencing the Varna system from the Bhagavad Gita, which triggered outrage among netizens.
The post, quoting a verse from the Bhagavad Gita with an erroneous translation, triggered accusations of promoting caste divisions in the state.
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Sarma acknowledged the mistake in a subsequent Twitter post, attributing it to an error by a team member and attributing the state’s social harmony to the reform movement led by Srimanta Sankardeva. “If the deleted post has offended anyone, I sincerely apologize,” he wrote on X.
However, the apology failed to appease critics, particularly the opposition Congress. Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah dismissed it as insufficient, demanding a public apology at a naamghar, a traditional Assamese prayer hall. “Mere tendering apology on social media is not enough,” Borah told Northeast Now.
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Borah drew a parallel to his own apology for a past controversial remark, highlighting the need for sincerity and public accountability for leaders.
Also read: Assam CM deletes post on Varna system after facing backlash
He further questioned whether the Chief Minister Sarma applies his own critical thinking when making social media pronouncements on sensitive topics.
The now-deleted post, shared in Assamese on Tuesday, attached a video clip of the Gita verse and mentioned Lord Krishna’s description of the “natural duties” of Vaishyas and Shudras. This sparked immediate backlash, with many online users questioning its relevance and potential to reinforce caste divisions.