Hindustan is for Hindus: Assam governor

GUWAHATI : Assam governor PB Acharya on Saturday said “Hindustan is for Hindus” and that the name of a single Bangladeshi should not be in the updating of the National Register for Citizens (NRC).

Acharya made the comments during a book launch. They came in reply to a question on updating the NRC list and on the controversy surrounding the Centre’s notification of allowing religious minorities from Pakistan and Bangladesh fleeing persecution to seek shelter in India.

Acharya added that Assam has nothing to fear about ‘Hindu refugees’ from Bangladesh settling in the state and there is nothing wrong in Hindus from other countries taking shelter in India.

“Hindustan is for Hindus. There is nothing wrong with that. Hindus from different countries can stay here. They cannot be outsiders. There is nothing to be feared about that. But how to accommodate them is a big question and we should think about that,” he said.

But he added, “We shouldn’t allow a single Bangladeshi to be included in the NRC list.”

Acharya also expressed concern over Assam and the northeast being in a ‘danger zone’ because of threats from “certain ideology’ groups. Though he did not say so explicitly, he made it amply clear that he implied to Islamic terror groups.

“The integrity of the country is at stake. The northeast is in a danger zone. Different ideological groups are posing a threat to our country. We should strive to save our integrity,” said Acharya.

He added that the ancient Hindu medicinal practice was looked down upon by the British regime and had lost its prominence under the Raj. “There are people living in villages in India who still go for Ayurveda. They respect it. It was only during the British regime that Ayurveda lost its prominence to western medicine,” he said.

Source : Times Of India