Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged people not to target or troll state minister Keshab Mahanta after the latter's daughter, Dibisa Mahanta, was seen participating in a protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
Videos of Dibisa raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanding the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan went viral on social media, sparking political debate.
Himanta Biswa Sarma urges public not to blame parents
Addressing the controversy on Saturday, Sarma said parents should not be held responsible for the political views or actions of their adult children.
"I don't think we should attack or troll Keshab Mahanta for the protest by his daughter. She may not follow her father's political ideology. Tomorrow, when my son will practice law, he may defend someone whom I may not like," the chief minister said.
He added that once children become adults, they are capable of making independent choices and those decisions should not be linked to their parents.
CM disagrees with protest slogans
While defending Keshab Mahanta from online criticism, Sarma made it clear that he did not support the slogans raised during the protest.
"I do not agree with the slogans she raised. When I meet her next time, I will definitely talk to her about it and try to make her understand that what she said was not right," he said.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta has not publicly commented on the issue.
Daughter's protest draws attention during Guwahati demonstration
The controversy began after Dibisa Mahanta participated in a demonstration held in Guwahati over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak. The protest also demanded the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister.
Her presence at the rally attracted widespread attention because her father is a senior leader of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a key ally of the BJP-led government in Assam. Videos from the protest quickly spread across social media, prompting mixed reactions from users.
CJP ends 36-day agitation after Dharmendra Pradhan resigns
Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced that it had ended its 36-day protest after Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down as Union Education Minister and the Centre accepted its remaining demands.
The decision followed the third round of discussions between CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka and Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at the Constitution Club in New Delhi.
The youth-led agitation had gained nationwide attention over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, particularly the NEET paper leak, and had drawn participation from students across several states.
