Assam CM Defends Minister as Daughter Joins NEET Protest, Says ‘Don’t Troll Her Father’

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged people not to target or troll his Cabinet colleague Keshab Mahanta after the minister’s daughter participated in a protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The controversy erupted after Dibisa Mahanta, daughter of the senior Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader and Assam’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, joined a demonstration in Guwahati on Thursday. The protest called for accountability over alleged examination irregularities and sought Pradhan’s resignation.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show Dibisa raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi while participating in the protest. However, the authenticity of those clips has not been independently verified.

Responding to the viral videos on Saturday, Sarma said it would be unfair to hold Keshab Mahanta responsible for his adult daughter’s political views or actions.

"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," the chief minister said, adding that adult children should be viewed as independent individuals rather than extensions of their parents.

Drawing from his own family, Sarma remarked that if his son becomes a lawyer in the future, he could defend someone with whom he personally disagrees. Such professional or personal choices, he said, should not be used to judge parents.

While distancing Keshab Mahanta from the controversy, Sarma also made it clear that he disagreed with the slogans reportedly raised during the protest. He said he would speak to Dibisa the next time they met and try to explain why he believed her remarks were inappropriate.

The chief minister reiterated that once children become adults, their actions and political beliefs should not automatically be linked to their parents.

Meanwhile, Keshab Mahanta has not publicly responded to the controversy surrounding his daughter's participation in the protest.