Priyank Kharge makes racist remarks against people of Gujarat and Assam over semiconductor plants, claims the two states don’t have talent

As the semiconductor plants set up in Gujarat and Assam are set to roll out first made-in-India chips within this year, Karnataka Rural Development Minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge once again targeted the plants, alleging that BJP ‘snatched’ those plants from Karnataka. Going a step further over his earlier opposition to the plants, he made racist comments on Sunday, suggesting that there are no talents in Gujarat and Assam for semiconductor industry.

Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, questioned whether there are talent pools in these states, while alleging the Modi government of diverting semiconductor investments away from Karnataka. Addressing reporters in Bengaluru on Saturday, Kharge demanded an explanation from the Centre for “redirecting” industries to Gujarat and Assam, claiming that this was done despite applications from industrialists preferring Karnataka or Tamil Nadu.

Kharge said, “Why are semiconductor industries going to Assam and Gujarat when they want to come to Bengaluru? I have raised this issue before. All the investment that is coming to Karnataka, is being arm-twisted by the central government to go to Gujarat. What is there in Gujarat? Is there talent there? What is there in Assam? Is there talent there?” He further added, “When industrialists are giving their applications that they would like to come to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu why are they being directed to Gujarat? Let the Centre explain.”

Kharge’s comments have been widely condemned as derogatory and divisive, implying that residents of Gujarat and Assam lack the skills or ecosystem needed for high-tech industries like semiconductors. Assam minister Jayanta Mallabaruah sharply reacted to the comments, accusing the Congress of hating Assam’s progress. He wrote on X, “Congress has always hated Assam’s progress. Every time the state takes a step forward, Congress tries to pull it back!” He called it blatant insult to every hardworking Assamese youth.

Pijush Hazarika, another Assam BJP leader and minister, said that Kharge’s comments are not surprising, and this the true face of Congress. He said, “A party that has always looked down upon Assam and the Northeast, ignored our potential and obstructed our growth. Their disdain for this region runs deep in history and their words today only reaffirm it.”

Hazarika also remined that Kharge’s father Mallikarjun Kharge had opposed conferring Bharat Ratna on Dr Bhupen Hazarika, one of Assam’s greatest icons, suggesting inherent anti-Assam sentiments in the family.

This is not the first time Kharge has targeted India’s upcoming semiconductor industry for its geographical distribution, instead of being concentred in few states. In September last year, he had made similar allegations, saying that Gujarat and Assam got 4 and 1 semiconductor units respectively despite having no ecosystem of skills. He had tweeted, “Five semicon manufacturing units, four are in Gujarat, and one is in Assam, but they don’t have an ecosystem of skills there. They don’t have an ecosystem of research there. They don’t have an ecosystem of incubation. They don’t have a system of ecosystem of innovations…when 70% of the chip designing talent lies in Karnataka, I don’t understand why the government wants to push to another state by using political clout. That is unfair.”

The post drew sharp reactions from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who accused the Congress of opposing Assam’s development. “Once again, Congress shows its true colors by opposing Assam’s development. A Karnataka minister, who is also the son of the Congress national president, claims that Assam has no right to host a semiconductor industry! I urge Assam Congress leaders to reject this divisive thinking and stand up for Assam’s rightful growth and progress.” Sarma responded on X.

Notably, several semiconductor plants are being developed in the country various companies. Tata Electronics is setting up a chip fabrication unit in Dholera in Gujarat. The company is also building a semiconductor assembly and test facility in Jagiroad, Assam. Apart from that, Micron Technology is setting up a semiconductor unit in Gujarat’s Sanand, CG Power is setting up a unit in Gujarat’s Sanand, Kaynes Semicon is also building a plant in Sanand, and HCL in partnership with Foxconn will be setting up a plant in Jewar in Uttar Pradesh.

While the Congress leader is focusing on attacking semiconductor plants only in Gujarat and Assam, such plants are also coming up in other states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.

Written by OpIndia Staff
Last modified at