Will talk to her, but don't troll her father: Assam CM on minister's daughter joining NEET protest

Business To Business, Guwahati, 26^th July, 2026:   Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday defended Cabinet colleague Keshab Mahanta after videos of the minister's daughter participating in a protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination surfaced on social media.
The protest, held in Guwahati on Thursday, called for action over alleged examination irregularities and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The demonstration drew attention after Dibisa Mahanta, daughter of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader and Assam minister Keshab Mahanta, joined the protest.
Videos circulating on social media purportedly showed her raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanding Pradhan's resignation. The authenticity of the videos has not been independently verified.
Responding to the controversy, Sarma said Keshab Mahanta should not be trolled over his daughter's participation in the protest, adding that "she may not follow her father's political ideology."
The Chief Minister's remarks underscore that family members can hold views different from those of their relatives, even when they are active in public life.