Congress 'Assam Bachao' campaign's tea garden pic actually from Taiwan: Himanta attacks

Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday hit out at the Congress and fact-checked two of its post wherein it allegedly posted photos of tea gardens from Taiwan claiming it to be of the state. Sarma shared screenshots of the posts from Congress' official campaign 'Assam Bachao' and wrote that the official Congress campaign page is using photos of tea gardens from Taiwan to say "Assam Bachao".

'This is again a pic from Taiwan'

The BJP leader shared screenshots from a stock photography company Fotosearch which shows similar images to the ones used by Congress. "Tea pickers working in the Nantou Tea Garden, Nantong, Taiwan, China, Asia" Stock Photo, a screenshot reads.

"Congress leaders can't even recognise Assam?" the BJP leader asked, adding that "this is an insult of Assam and Tea Garden workers of our state. #CongressInsultsAssam"

Ahead of the assembly polls in the state, opposition Congress had launched the ‘Assam Bachao’ (Save Assam) campaign across the state. Under the campaign, Congress leaders and workers visited and interact with all stakeholders before drafting the party manifesto for the coming assembly polls.

READ | After Tejashwi, Akhilesh says, 'will campaign for Mamata Banerjee' ahead of Assembly polls

READ | SpaceX's Starship rocket makes seemingly successful touchdown, explodes minutes later

Earlier, the BJP had hit out at former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and alleged that he tried to "defame" Gujarat. Rahul, in his speech in Assam last month, had targeted Gujarati traders for low wages of tea workers in the eastern state. "Assam's tea garden workers get Rs 167 as daily wage while traders from Gujarat get tea gardens. We will raise the daily wage of tea garden workers to Rs 365 per day. From where the money will come? It will come from the traders from Gujarat," Rahul told an election rally in Sivasagar.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was on a two-day visit to poll-bound Assam this week, was also seen plucking tea leaves with estate workers at Sadhuru tea garden in Biswanath district. "The life of tea garden workers is full of truth and simplicity and their labour is valuable for the country. After sitting with them today, I understood their work, felt well being of their families and the difficulties of their life," Gandhi tweeted along with pictures of herself interacting with the tea workers.

Assam assembly elections will be held in three phases. In the first phase, 47 seats in 12 districts will go to the polls on March 27. In the second phase, 39 constituencies in 13 districts will go to the polls on April 1 while 40 assembly constituencies in 12 districts to go on polls on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

READ | Taj Mahal threat call: 'Nothing suspicious found, checks almost done,' says official

READ | Kieron Pollard blasts 6 sixes off Akila Dananjaya's over in first T20I vs Sri Lanka; WATCH

(With agency inputs)