A political controversy is brewing in Assam as they prepare for the state assembly elections. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has ramped up his attacks on an opposition candidate with a young age by accusing her of breaking the law regarding beef consumption. This has sparked outrage across the board and added more heat to the already heated election campaign.
At the centre of the controversy is Kunki Choudhury, a first-time candidate running for the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) from the Central Guwahati constituency. Sarma has made allegations against both her and her mother of being involved in the beef-eating culture of Assam, which is a highly charged issue both politically and culturally in that region.
Political row deepens over beef allegations by Himanta Biswa Sarma
The political feud between Sarma and Choudhury intensified at a recent public meeting when Sarma made comments focused on identifying with the so-called “beef-eating culture.” In his remarks, Sarma stated, “Beef-eating is not supported in Assam. There is a law for the protection of cattle and if you break this law, you will go to jail for 3 years.” Further, he stated, “I will file charges against anyone who breaks this law.” As a result of Sarma’s remarks, the BJP and AJP exchanged harsh words just before voters hit the polls.
Who Is Kunki Choudhury?
Kunki Choudhury is a young female politician running for office in Assam, India. She is only 26 years old and represents Generation Z, the new political face of her generation, which is often characterized as sharing many of the same interests as her predecessors.
She has been campaigning mostly throughout Central Guwahati, but also going door to door in various locations to advocate for improving local communities in Assam through assistance with drainage, education, as well as urban infrastructure issues.
Kunki has also attended school both in the United Kingdom and India and has recently taken on an activist role within her community by promoting new ideas for young people in Assam politics.
Backlash, Protests, and Counter Allegations
After the announcement of some of the recent issues affecting the politics of Assam, Kunki Choudhury was met with considerable backlash and protests from a group of people at one of her community rallies in Guwahati, including chants of “AJP go back”. This information is relatively new and is still being actively discussed between the various parties involved.
In response to the allegations made against her, Kunki Choudhury adamantly denied all allegations made against her and claimed that the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has been actively engaged in the propagation of false information regarding her character. She alleged that an “AI-generated video” was being circulated to target her. “Why such desperation? Why has the BJP IT cell been spending so much money and efforts to make such videos?” she asked, adding that if needed, “they can come to my house and I will give a statement.”
Claims of political attacks by Himanta Biswa Sarma
In addition to the current drama between Biju Choudhury and Himanta Biswa Sarma, there were earlier allegations made against Choudhury. Sarma stated that there is a post on social media by Choudhury’s mother which contains pictures of beef being consumed, and that these images are “distasteful” in respect to religious beliefs.
There were also additional allegations made by Sarma that the photos contain a question about the meaning of religion and were used to promote a politically controversial figure. All of these allegations were dismissed by Choudhury as “false” and “groundless.” Choudhury claims that this was done out of fear by his opposition of losing the election in his constituency.
Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
