GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been bestowed with the Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellowship by the government of Singapore for public works and development.
According to an official statement, Sarma has been invited to visit Singapore as a Lee Kuan Yew Fellow. The fellowship is conferred on individuals for their outstanding contributions to the development of their country and to bilateral relations with Singapore.
The fellowship was launched as a tribute to Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister for his contributions. The Patron of the Fellowship is the Prime Minister of Singapore.
With this conferment, Sarma follows the league of former union minister Arun Shourie, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and former vice-chairman of Planning Commission (now NITI aayog) Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who are among the previous awardees.
Meanwhile, Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah said that he will write to withdraw it. “Sarma is accused of several financial scams. He has often made highly communalised statements,” he said.
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