Congress hits back with fodder move in reply to Himanta’s milch cow metaphor

By Express News Service

GUWAHATI: The Congress in Assam poured cold water on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s likening BJP ally United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) to a milch cow.

It may be recalled that the CM had likened the UPPL, which holds sway in the four districts falling under Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), to a cow as he appealed to the voters to foster it so that it can, in return, give them milk.

The Congress hit back with the leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia ordering two consignments (4 kg each) of cattle fodder from Amazon to be delivered to UPPL chief Pramod Bodo, who is also the chief of autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), and state BJP president Bhabesh Kalita, to solve the problem of milk in the state.

Addressing a crowd at an election rally in BTR recently, the CM had said: “You visit a market and find two cows. One gives milk but the other doesn’t. Which one will you buy? You will obviously buy the one that gives milk…

“So, if you vote for Congress, AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front) or ‘Nangol party’ (read Bodoland People’s Front), it will eat the fodder but will not give milk since it is not in power. But if you feed the tractor (UPPL symbol), you can get 26 litres of milk by milking your cow.”

The BJP and the UPPL rule the BTC. They are also the constituents of the state’s three-party coalition government.

In separate letters addressed to the BJP and the UPPL chiefs, Saikia said the CM had made an appeal publicly that a cow if provided with fodder, would yield 26 litres of milk and people would also get to consume it. The Congress leader said many families had not been able to offer nutritious food to the children due to various reasons.

“Therefore, responding to the CM’s call, I am offering four kgs of cattle fodder to each of you. I appeal to the well-wishers of Assam to send fodder for the use of the members of your parties, so every family in the state can drink milk and prepare ‘payosh’ (dessert) with the rice the government gives at subsidised rate,” Saikia wrote in his letters to Bodo and Kalita.