GUWAHATI/BHUBANESWAR: BJP found itself on the defensive Sunday after the daughters of two politicians publicly broke ranks over the NEET protest, prompting Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma to defend his cabinet colleague Keshab Mahanta while Odisha BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi’s office backed her daughter’s right to express her views.In Assam, revenue and disaster management minister and senior AGP leader Keshab Mahanta came under attack after his daughter, Dibisa Mahanta, was allegedly seen at a student protest in Guwahati on Thursday demanding then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the alleged NEET paper leak. Purported videos also showed her criticising the Centre and opposing police action against protesters.Defending his colleague, Sarma said parents could not be held responsible for the actions or political views of their adult children. “How can I answer what my son and daughter will do? Nowadays, children do not always listen to their parents… Even my own children do not listen to me on many matters,” he said, adding that while Dibisa’s alleged remarks against PM Narendra Modi were “wrong”, “harassing her father should not have been done”.Sarma said Mahanta should remain focused on flood relief efforts and not be distracted by the controversy. Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia, meanwhile, said parents should engage with their children on national issues instead of merely giving instructions.
The social post of Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi’s daughter Archita Sachin Rahar welcomed Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation
In Odisha, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi’s daughter, Archita Sachin Rahar, posted on Instagram celebrating Pradhan’s resignation, writing later: “All of BJP, including anyone I am related to, is with Dharmendra Pradhan. I am with the students. This is democracy.”Sarangi’s office assistant Dhaneswar Barik defended the post, saying, “Everyone has the right to express their views.” Odisha BJP general secretary Biranchi Narayan Tripathy also distanced the party from the controversy, saying Rahar’s views were personal and there was no discontent within the BJP over her posts.
