GUWAHATI: The White House has refused to comment on the “Hussain Obama” remark made by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma last week.
“No, I don’t think so,” a White House official said when asked by a journalist if he will comment on the ‘insulting’ remarks made by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on former United States President Barak Obama.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on June 23, stirred a controversy after stating that many “Hussain Obamas” in India need to be taken care of.
The Assam chief minister was reacting to a query on former US president Barrack Obama’s remarks on minority rights in India.
It may be mentioned here that former US President Barack Hussein Obama, in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, said that if President Joe Biden meets PM Narendra Modi, “the protection of the Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India is something worth mentioning”.
Senior journalist from India Rohini Singh posed a question to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in regards to the remark made by the former US President.
Rohini Singh asked: “Has an FIR been filed in Guwahati yet against Obama for hurting sentiment? Is Assam police on its way to Washington to get Obama offloaded from some flight and arrest him?”
Reacting to this query, the Assam chief minister said: “There are many Hussain Obama in India itself. We should prioritize taking care of them before considering going to Washington. The Assam police will act according to our own priorities.”