Angry Karbi Anglong lashes out at minister’s ‘cancer is for sin’ remark

Our Correspondent
Diphu, Nov. 24 (EMN):  The reported statement of the minister of Health, Education and Finance of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswas who reportedly said “Cancer is divine justice for sins” has run into angry reactions from opposition political parties. The statement has been vehemently denounced as ‘insensible, irrational, psychological panic.’

Reacting to the statement of Biswas, opposition political parties in Karbi Anglong including the Hill State Demand Committee (HSDC), Central Working Committee (CWC) member Welborn Kro has accused the minister of playing with the meotions of the people.

Talking to this reporter, he said ‘We vehemently condemned the insensible, irrational, psychological panic word that has been come out from the mouth of Health minister. It also brings panic among the cancer patients in the region, which brings psychological fear to cancer patients as well as the family too.’

If cancer is a sin, Kro countered, there is no use in establishing institutes for cancer treatment in the region. The people who are admitted in the cancer institute, he questioned, ‘Are they all sin patients? ‘Playing with the emotions and sentiments of the people is a highly condemnable act,’ Kro said.

Likewise, students’ organisations such as the Karbi Student’s Association (KSA) have expressed similar outrage. Its president, Simeon Rongphar told this reporter: ‘The statement, the irrational statement made by Dr. Himanta Biswas, is condemnable. Although he made a clarification on Nov. 23, it was a highly shameful and condemnable remark.’

Similarly, the Karbi Student’s Youth Council (KSYC) issued a statement: It is unfortunate and unjustified; hearing the illogical, irrational, insensible and impractical statement such as “Cancer and accident are a divine justice for sin; these are your karma” from a Ph.D degree and law graduate holder Himanta Biswa Sharma, minister of Health.  ‘It is completely unacceptable to compare a disease like cancer and accident with sin and karma. We believe in practical and destiny but not in such unscientific statement. This is to hide the failure of the government to control the spread of cancer in the state.’

The students’ organisation has demanded that Dr. Himanta Biswas publicly apologize for hurting the feelings of cancer patients and victims.