Give up PSOs, it's Congress culture: CM Himanta to BJP Leaders

STAFF REPORTER & AGENCIES

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asked the BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their personal security officers (PSOs), saying "this is a culture of the Congress party".

Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, said: "I will ask state BJP president Bhabesh Kalita to impress upon the party leaders to give up their PSOs."

"There is no need for PSOs. This is the Congress party's culture. We do not have any threat to life as we have done nothing wrong," the Chief Minister said while addressing a function in Guwahati on the occasion of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 97th birth anniversary. He said: "We do not need PSOs to open the doors of the cars. We have the strength to open our doors. I was at the Congress party. I have a list of such types of practices which the Congress party patronages."

Referring to Vajpayee, the Chief Minister said that his contribution to the development of Assam and the Northeast would always be cherished.

"As we celebrate Su-Sashan Divas (good governance day) to mark the occasion, it is time to reaffirm our commitment towards delivering the highest standards of public service through the best governance practices," Sarma said.

He said, "It was during Vajpayee's tenure the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna was conferred posthumously to Assam's first Chief Minister Gopinath Bordoloi in 1999. Vajpayee's life and times are unparalleled inspirations for the people of the country." The Chief Minister appealed to the party members to emulate the ideals and philosophy of the former Prime Minister.

State BJP president Bhabesh Kalita said: "We must be with the people and must not do things which do not allow us to be with the people."

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