Comments not related to election: Himanta Biswa Sarma tells EC after 48-hour ban

Assam Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has been barred by the Election Commission for campaigning in the ongoing assembly elections, has said that his remarks were not related with election campaign.

Sarma in his reply to the Election Commission stated, "The whole conversation was on an evolving law and order situation and had no link with the election campaign. "

On Friday, the EC barred Sarma from campaigning for the next 48 hours in the ongoing assembly elections for his remark that Bodoland People's Front chief Hagrama Mohilary would be sent to jail through central probe agency NIA if he does "extremism" with rebel leader M Batha.

"The IGP Assam made a request to the state government for handing over the case to the NIA. All that happened before Model Code of Conduct came into force," Sarma argued.

"Regarding the recovery of arms and explosives it is stated that the same is under investigation and the same incident has nothing to do with the ongoing election campaigning or violation of any provision of MCC," he insisted.

Sarma added that Hagrama Mohilary is neither a contestant in the ongoing election nor he is an opponent. Sarma said that he "gave a hypothetical reply to all question and that cannot be perceived as a threat in any manner, as any normal person would have replied in the same manner".