Congress MPs opposed Bill to establish an IIM in Assam: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati, Aug 19 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress after its MPs from the state opposed the Bill to establish an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Assam.

Taking to the social media platform X, Sarma termed the stance of the Congress as “shocking and perplexing,” questioning how the party could oppose a premier educational institution in the state. “Today, when Lok Sabha voted to pass the Bill to establish an IIM in Assam, shameless @INCAssam MPs vehemently opposed it,” Sarma wrote.

He alleged that the Congress, by resisting the Bill, had exposed its anti-people and anti-development mindset. The Chief Minister further remarked that such an action proved how little the Congress cared for Assam’s growth and aspirations.

“Can you imagine how much the Congress hates Assam, and how fiercely anti-people and development they are that they don’t even want an IIM to come up in our state!” he said, adding that the people of the state “will neither forget nor forgive them.”

Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha gave its nod to the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, clearing the decks for a new Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to come up in Guwahati.

The Centre has earmarked Rs 550 crore as capital assistance for the project. The upcoming institute will be the second IIM in the Northeast, joining IIM Shillong, and will hold the status of an institution of national importance.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who piloted the bill, saw it through the House by a voice vote. The proceedings, however, were marked by noisy protests from the Opposition over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

Soon after the passage of the bill, the session was adjourned.

Lauding the passage of the bill, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a post on X, wrote, “Truly a historic day for Assam as the Lok Sabha passes the bill to establish the State’s first Indian Institute of Management. My gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji, Hon’ble Ministers Shri @AmitShah Ji and Shri @dpradhanbjp Ji for steering this endeavour.”

The Chief Minister argued that with an IIT, AIIMS and now IIM, Assam is on the precipice of becoming a major education hub of Eastern India. “On behalf of the people of Assam, NDA MPs from the State extended our gratitude to Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Ji,” he added.

--IANS

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