Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Borah on Friday sought unconditional apology from the people of the state over his controversial comments against Lord Krishna amid a war of words with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the Golaghat triple murder case.
Addressing reporters in Guwahati today, Bhupen Borah said that he would prefer to be encountered rather than be prohibited from entering Namghars.
Apologizing to the people of Assam, Bhupen Borah said, "Last night, I had a vision in my sleep. My ancestors came to me in my dream and made me realise my mistake over the comments. They told me to visit a Namghar and pray."
He said, "I do not fear the Chief Minister. My only fear is that my remarks may have not boded well with the Vaishnavite community. The Chief Minister has called for my arrest. A Satradhikar (leader of religious institution associated with the Ekasarana tradition of Vaishnavism) asked me to stop visiting Namghars."
"I urge them to not restrict me from visiting Namghars. They may instead kill me in a police encounter," said Bhupen Borah.
Speaking further, he said, "I am building a majestic Namghar in my home village. After my spell in politics, I will preach there. That is the only condition I have in place with the people of the village because politics is not my last inning."
In an apparent dig at the Chief Minister, Bhupen Borah further said, "I do not own a news channel or run a newspaper. I cannot manipulate the news that comes out. My inner conscience has awakened me."
Meanwhile, Bhupen Borah sang a prayer hymn named "Moi Durasar" seeking the people's forgiveness.
"I know the BJP and RSS will not let this issue go, however, I will urge the people to not fall prey to petty politics and rise above all this," added Bhupen Borah.
It may be noted that the Congress leader had during the ongoing exchange of words between him and the Chief Minister remarked that Lord Krishna's marriage to Rukmini could also be seen as an instance of "love-jihad," drawing attention to the controversial term often used by right-wing politicians alleging forced conversions through seduction by Muslim men.
The ongoing exchange of remarks between the Chief Minister and Bhupen Borah escalated when the latter retaliated to CM Sarma's "love-jihad" comment regarding the Golaghat triple murder case.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that Bhupen Borah will soon be arrested if an FIR is lodged against him for his controversial remark about Lord Krishna.
The Golaghat triple murder case shocked the state, with the victims, Sanjeev Ghosh, Junu Ghosh, and Sanghamitra Ghosh, brutally killed with sharp weapons, allegedly by the accused, 25-year-old Najibur Rahman Bora, a qualified mechanical engineer. In response to the heinous crime, a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter.
