Guwahati: A Sunday press conference meant to “clarify” an earlier comment landed Assam Governor PB Acharya in fresh controversy.

On Saturday Mr Acharya was quoted in the local Assamese media as saying “Hindustan is for Hindus”. The Governor addressed a press conference Sunday morning to “explain” that his comments were in the context of “persecuted Bengali Hindus of Bangladesh who seek refuge” in the state.

The return of Hindus from Bangladesh is a controversial issue in the state and political parties like the Asom Gana Parishad have been protesting over the Narendra Modi government’s decision to allow Bangladeshi Hindus – who came into Assam by December 31 last year – the right to stay.

In fact, Mr Acharya stressed it wasn’t about Hindus alone but any religious minority that wants to flee from persecution. “We should keep in our mind that people are persecuted because of his religion in a country. If Indian Christians are persecuted In Pakistan, they will come to India. Where will they go?” asserted the Governor.

But he didn’t stop with this example. Explaining how India is a “large-hearted and a tolerant” country, Mr Acharya said India had given “shelter” to Parsis and cited the names of many Parsi industrial houses who prospered here, NDTV reported.

“India is a large-hearted country, 100 per cent Hindus are in India. Persia, now Iran, was destroyed. Persians were finished there. They flourished here. Who is Tata? Who is Godrej? Who is Wadia? They all prospered here. India gave them shelter. The most tolerant country is India,” said Mr Acharya.

Extending his comments to Muslims in India, he said, “Indian Muslims are free to go anywhere. Many stay here. Many go to Pakistan. They want to go to Bangladesh or Pakistan. If they are persecuted there, come over here. Very few come back. If they come we will allow.”

But the issue has created a political storm as the Congress has accused the BJP of trying to “use the Governor’s office “to polarize Assam” ahead of elections next year.

“The BJP wants to polarize the state but can you imagine that a constitutional position is being dragged to further their politics,” said Abhishek Singhvi, senior Congress spokesperson.

Senior BJP leaders from the state didn’t want to comment on record but said the “Governor was speaking in his individual capacity”.