Assam health minister and BJP’s star strategist in the north-east, Himanta Biswa Sarma is in the eye of the storm for his remarks linking sins committed in the past to life-threatening diseases such as cancer and accidents.
On November 21, while attending an event in Assam, he told a group of newly appointed schoolteachers,
God makes us suffer when we sin. Sometimes we come across young men getting inflicted with cancer or young men meeting with accidents. If you observe the background you will come to know that it’s divine justice. Nothing else. We have to suffer that divine justice.
The minister termed these illnesses ‘divine justice’ at a time when there are 2.5 million people in India who suffer from such life-threatening diseases.
Photo Courtesy: Indian Express
The comments drew sharp criticism from political rivals and journos who termed his views ‘unscientific’.
Also Read: Cancer is divine justice, says Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
The BJP leader now alleges that his comments have been taken out of context. In an article published on online news portal The Print, the minister wrote that he took the quote from the Bhagwad Geeta and it was an everyday metaphor that all Hindus used.
The minister said he was advising the newly appointed teachers against taking bribes as it may lead to some kind of Karmic deficiency in next life. He wrote,
I said if you do this, then law may not catch you, but God will catch up with you in your next life. And then I elaborated what I meant and gave examples. I said that you may face many hardships and suffering like accidents, family troubles, cancer and other instances of fall from grace.
Taking a swing at his critics, he said that pulling out one word in a long sentence is a ‘proof of their karmic deficiency’. He further wrote,
This is what our religion teaches us. This is there in the Bhagwat Gita which has been there since ancient times. Why is there a debate about what I said?
He also engaged in a Twitter spat with former finance minister P Chidambaram as well as with noted journalist Rajdeep Sardesai. In response to a tweet posted by Mrs Chidmabaram, Sarma brought in ‘Pidi Gandhi’ remark to attack his former colleague.
By the way sir when did you rejoin @INCIndia ? As per as I know you were in Tamil Maanila Congress. Privileged people can indulged in any activity right from Chit Fund to Inxmedia, can switch party. After all #Pidi likes privileged people https://t.co/P7CMBIRCYQ
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 23, 2017
Responding to noted journalist Rajdeep Sardesai who slammed Sarma for his views, the minister asked Sardesai to ‘not belittle Hindu philosophy’.
Do not belittle Hindu philosophy in such simplistic way. If you call me anytime to your studio,I will argue with you that karmic law do exist. You can not written of teachings of Bhagavadgita by using the word pumpkin of the day etc https://t.co/wpKz7rpLYn
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 22, 2017
