Guwahati, Sep 28 (IANS): Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika has demanded an apology from Congress leader and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge for his controversial comments on Assam and Gujarat getting semiconductor manufacturing units.

The Minister said, "Priyank Kharge and other Congress leaders have criticised Assam on many occasions. The opposition party leaders insulted the people of the state multiple times. The son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has put out an objectionable social media post questioning the upcoming semiconductor manufacturing facility in Assam."

"I would rather say Karnataka must also get industry and the state is already ahead of Assam due to various factors while we have suffered a lot due to misrule of the Congress government. Now, Assam is emerging in the national scenario due to its development and Priyank Kharge has been critical of us. This is unacceptable and the Congress leader must seek an apology to the people of Assam," Minister Hazarika added.

Earlier on Friday, Priyank Kharge posted on his social media platform X, "Five semiconductor 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 per cent 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."

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reacted to Priyank Kharge's criticism over setting up semiconductor manufacturing unit in Assam and Gujarat by the Union government, asserting that the Congress has an agenda of opposing the development of northeastern states.

CM Sarma wrote on his X account, "Once again, Congress shows its true colours by opposing Assam's development. A Karnataka minister, who is also the son of the Congress 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."