Guwahati, November 23 (PTI): Facing flak over his remarks that life-threatening diseases were a result of past sins, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today tried to explain away saying he was only referring to the "karmic law" of Hinduism. The minister also said he did not know whether Hindu philosophy can be discussed at all in the Congress, hitting back at P Chidambaram for his tweet against him yesterday which said "that is what switching parties does to a person". Sarma, who was with the Congress earlier, had joined the BJP in 2015. Taking to social media, the minister tried to get back at Chidambaram by referring to his quitting the Congress in 1996. He also mentioned Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's pet, saying "After all #Pidi likes privileged people". "Sir, please do not distort. Simply I said that Hinduism believes in karmic law and human sufferings are linked to karmic deficiency of past life. Don't you believe that too? Of course in your party I do not know whether Hindu philosophy can be discussed at all. "By the way sir when did you rejoin @INCIndia? As far as I know you were in Tamil Maanila Congress. Privileged people can indulge in any activity right from Chit Fund to Inxmedia, can switch party. After all #Pidi likes privileged people," said the Assam minister. Sarma's remarks that some people suffer from life- threatening diseases such as cancer because of sins committed in the past and that it is "divine justice" have sparked sharp reactions. "God makes us suffer when we sin. Sometimes we come across young men getting inflicted with cancer or young men meeting with accidents. If you observe the background you will come to know that it's divine justice. Nothing else. We have to suffer that divine justice," he had said at a function where appointment letters were distributed to teachers here yesterday. The Assam minister today posted several tweets on the issue. "You have to realise difference between sin and karma. "Politics can come and go. But what is written in Bhagavadgita is for me the final truth." Responding to a journalist's tweet that laws of karma should not be used to explain cancer in today's day and age, he tweeted, "Was my speech on cancer? Who told you? I simply asked a new batch of teachers to work sincerely & work for the poor. "In that context I argue that if we do not work sincerely in next life we might face karmic deficiency & that may lead to sufferings. What is insensitive about this?"
