Guwahati, Mar 21, 2023, IANS

Guwahati, March 21 (IANS): Maharashtra MLA Bacchu Kadu's 'dog remark' earlier created a ruckus in Assam with several FIRs filed against the legislator by Congress and other opposition parties.

The opposition also attacked Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his government for keeping mum on this issue.

On Tuesday, while speaking at the Assam Legislative Assembly, Sarma said, "I have written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to ask the MLA to withdraw his unacceptable statement against the people of Assam."

He further said that Assam police could not take any action against the Maha legislator as the statement was made inside the state assembly.

"If he would have been given the statement outside, Assam police could initiate action against the Maharashtra MLA," Sarma added.

Earlier, the first day of the ongoing budget session of the Assam assembly witnessed an uproar as opposition members raised the issue of Maharashtra MLA Bacchu Kadu's stray dog remark on Assam.

Governor Gulab Chand Kateria's speech was disturbed due to the ruckus created by the opposition MLAs on Friday. Kateria had to cut short his speech midway.

Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha said, "Assam police could deplane senior Congress leader Pawan Khera in Delhi airport for a 'small' comment, but the same police are totally inactive on Kadu's statement. The Maharashtra MLA had insulted the natives of Assam, yet the government and police could not take a single step."

Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi also demanded police action against the Maha MLA. He also questioned Assam government's silence on this issue.

Bacchu Kadu, an independent MLA from Achalpur and the leader of the Prahar Janshakti Party, said that all stray dogs from Maharashtra should be relocated to Assam because "the people in Assam consume a lot of dog meat, and it is a practical solution to Maharashtra's canine population problem".

Kadu made the comments in response to a debate in the Maharashtra Legislature about the threat posed by street dogs, which was brought up by MLAs Pratap Sarnaik and Atul Bhatkhalkar.