Assam: BJP MLA Shiladitya Dev arrested for disputed remarks, said Abdul Malik was ‘intellectual jehadi’
Shiladitya Dev had said that Abdul Malik is a poet who is doing intellectual jihad. He made this statement while commenting on the recent communal conflict in Sonitpur district on the foundation stone of the Ram temple.
Guwahati: BJP MLA Shiladitya Dev has been arrested in Assam in a controversial comment case. Several organizations have filed several complaints against Shiladitya Dev. Shiladitya Dev is accused of calling the esteemed scholar Padmashri the late Syed Abdul Malik an ‘intellectual jihadi’. Shiladitya is a BJP MLA from Hojai.
BJP leader and Assam Minority Development Board chief Muminul Oval condemned the statement and publicly apologized to his party colleague.
Congress said – Dev should be sent to a mental asylum
The Congress has called Dev a ‘mad person’, who should be sent to the asylum for frequent controversial and communally sensitive statements. At the same time, the party also called her Rakhi Sawant (Bollywood actress) of BJP. The Bollywood actress is known for her controversial statements.
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The Congress Minority Department has lodged a complaint against Dev at Hantigaon police station in Guwahati and demanded immediate arrest of this MLA from Hojai constituency.
Sadao Assam Goria-Moriya-native ethnic council has lodged complaint
Sadao Assam Goria-Moriya-native ethnic council has filed complaint in various police stations in Barpeta, Dhubri and Morigaon districts while Sadao Assam Goria-Yuva student council in Guwahati A report has been lodged at the Jalukbari police station.
Assam Sonagrami Yuva Manch has also complained
Assam Sonagrami Yuva Manch has also lodged a complaint with Hatigaon police station and demanded strict action against Dev. BJP leader Oval said, “I oppose and strongly condemn what Shiladitya said.”
Oval said, “If he does not publicly apologize, I will always take a tough stand against him.” Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s link to Dev’s objectionable remarks against the highly respected poet, novelist and short story writer Malik Is condemned. Congress Lok Sabha member Abdul Khaliq has described the BJP MLA as “a mad person who should be sent to a madhouse.”
Kamal Kumar Medhi, another Congress leader, said, “Shiladitya Dev is the Rakhi Sawant of the BJP. Assamese society should not give them special consideration. Kuldhar Saikia, president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha, condemned the “controversial” comments against Malik. Malik is also the president of the apex literary body.
What did Shiladitya Dev say?
Dev had said that Malik is a poet who is doing intellectual jihad. He made this statement while commenting on the recent communal conflict in Sonitpur district on the foundation stone of the Ram temple. Rising above political ideologies, everyone across the state reacted sharply to this remark and many groups also burnt the effigy of Dev on Sunday.
