Two-time Assam Congress MLA Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam on Saturday issued a public apology for his “inappropriate” conduct towards a television anchor during a live show about the ongoing eviction drive in the state on Friday evening.

The apology followed widespread condemnation of the Goalpara East MLA’s conduct by several organisations and journalists seeking his apology. The television channel had decided not to invite the Congress representatives to their shows unless Alam apologised for his conduct.

The ruling BJP too piled pressure by amplifying the issue with at least two cabinet ministers, Pijush Hazarika and Ajanta Neog, seeking an apology from the party and the MLA.

Hazarika posted on X that the MLA “used unparliamentary language and insulted senior journalist Shri @BailungRajdeep Dangoriya (of ND 24), a shameful act that deserves strong condemnation.”

He said: “Such behaviour towards the media is unacceptable. Our government stands firmly against any attempt to intimidate or disrespect journalists. Congress and the MLA must apologise to Shri Baruah and the people of Assam.”

Alam posted an almost four-minute-long video on Facebook “sincerely” apologising for the unfortunate situation that developed on the show. The PCC also shared a statement.

He said he was mentally disturbed because of the situation unfolding in Assam, alluding to the ongoing eviction.

The evicted areas near Goalpara fall under his constituency.

He further said that he shared cordial ties with journalist Rajdeep Bailung Baruah and neither of them had anticipated the situation would get out of hand. He claimed the journalist had also called him ill-mannered and asked him to leave the show, to which he responded “inappropriately”. Alam then offered his unconditional apology to Baruah and the media fraternity.