Himanta Biswa Sarma calls Priyank Kharge a “First-Class Idiot”; Kharge hits back saying CM twisted h
Guwahati/Bengaluru: A sharp political war of words erupted between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Karnataka Minister for IT and BT Priyank Kharge on Monday after Kharge’s remarks questioning the availability of “talent” in Assam and Gujarat triggered widespread outrage.
Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Chief Minister Sarma launched a scathing attack on the Congress leader, calling him a “first-class idiot” and accusing him of insulting the youth of Assam. “Priyank Kharge is a first-class idiot. He has insulted Assamese youth, and Congress has not yet condemned this. Perhaps we might file a case against him because he said Assam does not have educated youth. It is an insult to the entire Assamese youth,” Sarma said.
The controversy began when Priyank Kharge, son of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, questioned why major semiconductor projects were being set up in Assam and Gujarat instead of Karnataka, which he claimed had superior infrastructure and engineering talent.
“Why are semiconductor industries going to Assam and Gujarat when they actually want to come to Bengaluru? All the investments meant for Karnataka are being arm-twisted by the Central government to go to Gujarat. What is there in Gujarat? Is there talent there? What is there in Assam? Is there talent there?” Kharge had remarked during an interaction on Sunday.
The statement quickly snowballed into a major political controversy, with BJP leaders across the country slamming Kharge’s remarks as “arrogant and insulting.” Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika called his statement “deplorable and unbecoming of a public representative,” while BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress minister of demeaning the youth of both Assam and Gujarat.
Responding to the backlash, Priyank Kharge issued a strong rebuttal on social media and in media statements, accusing Himanta Biswa Sarma of deliberately twisting his words. “As usual, the BJP and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma are twisting my words. My statement was clear and specific — it was about how semiconductor companies were being pressured to set up in Gujarat and Assam, even though they had expressed a clear preference for Karnataka due to our engineering talent and established ecosystem,” Kharge said.
The Karnataka minister further lashed out at the Assam government’s performance, citing NITI Aayog’s latest report. “After nearly a decade of BJP rule, Assam today ranks among the bottom five states in crucial development indicators like health, education, and economic growth. The only thing Mr. Sarma has managed to grow is his own wealth. Every major scam or corruption case seems to trace back to his doorstep, while the youth of Assam are left without jobs or opportunities,” he alleged.
Kharge added that instead of giving political spin to his remarks, Sarma should focus on improving governance in Assam. “Why are Assam’s young people leaving their state to find work elsewhere? When Congress returns to power in Assam, our focus will be on skilling, employability, and rebuilding faith in governance. We will create an environment where talent thrives in every corner of the state and young people are free from the grip of corrupt governance and divisive politics of a third-rate crook,” he said in a sharp counterattack.
The political spat has drawn national attention, with leaders from both parties exchanging barbs online. While BJP leaders framed Kharge’s statement as an insult to northeastern states, Congress circles defended him as merely highlighting the Centre’s alleged bias in diverting investments away from Karnataka.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
