Guwahati: BJP's youth wing activists staged a demonstration in front of Assam Congress’ headquarters on Saturday, protesting against alleged objection by Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge to setting up a semiconductor plant in the northeastern state.
Members of the Guwahati unit of the Bharaitya Janata Yuva Morcha, Assam Pradesh, marched towards the state Congress office and attempted to gherao it.
Security personnel prevented them from entering the premises of Rajiv Bhawan, the headquarters of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC).
The BJYM activists raised slogans against the Congress and Kharge, displaying placards to mark their protest.
Kharge, in an interview with a media outlet, had maintained that semiconductor units coming up in Gujarat and Assam were being done "using political clout".
“Five semicon manufacturing units, four are in Gujarat, and one is in Assam, but they don't have an ecosystem of skills there. They don't have an ecosystem of research there. They don't have an ecosystem of incubation. They don't have a system of ecosystem of innovations…when 70 per cent of the chip designing talent lies in Karnataka, I don't understand why the government wants to push to another state by using political clout. That is unfair,” he had shared in an extract from the interview on X.
Protesting against Kharge's comments, a BJYM leader said the Congress has "always worked against Assam and the interests of its people".
"Kharge has said that we do not have the required skill and ecosystem for research. The Assam Congress must clarify its stand on such statements,” he added.
The BJYM activist also sought to know Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi's stand on Kharge's remarks.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had criticised Kharge for his comments.
Taking to X on Friday, he said, “Once again, Congress shows its true colours by opposing Assam’s development. A Karnataka minister, who is also the son of the Congress national president, claims that Assam has no right to host a semiconductor industry!”
“I urge Assam Congress leaders to reject this divisive thinking and stand up for Assam’s rightful growth and progress,” Sarma added.
Senior Congress spokesperson Rituparna Konwar rejected the ruling party’s allegation and claimed that it was trying to "make an issue out of nothing".
“A minister wants to attract top industries to his own state. Kharge ji wanted the same and there is nothing wrong with it,” he said.
Konwar said BJP leaders should have taken the remarks of the minister of Congress-ruled Karnataka in a "positive manner".
Tata Group is coming up with a Rs 26,000-crore semiconductor plant at Jagiroad in Assam's Morigaon district.