Daijiworld Media Network - Guwahati
Guwahati, Apr 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday issued a strong warning to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera over allegations against his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, stating that the police would track him down “even from paatal (netherworld)” to verify the claims.
Sarma said Assam Police would question Khera on the source of the documents used to level the ????, asserting that the papers were false. He alleged that Khera had “run away” to Hyderabad from New Delhi as police teams visited his residence amid the ongoing passport controversy.
The Chief Minister also targeted Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for backing the allegations without verification. “Kharge ji has aged, yet he speaks like a madman. Before levelling an allegation, he should have asked the foreign minister,” Sarma said.
The remarks come after Congress leaders alleged that Sarma’s wife holds multiple passports and owns undisclosed luxury properties abroad. Sarma rejected the claims, terming the documents shown by Khera as “AI-generated fabrications” and “doctored images sourced from Pakistani social media groups.”
Sarma further suggested that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi may have been involved in providing the documents, adding that the matter could extend to him.
He also warned the Congress against attempting to intimidate him, making a broader reference to Assam’s historical resistance.
Earlier in the day, Kharge said investigative agencies should probe the allegations, noting that an FIR had already been filed against Khera. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, he described Sarma as “the most corrupt” in the country.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticised the police action, calling it a “witch hunt” aimed at silencing opposition voices. In a post on X, he alleged that the deployment of police personnel outside Khera’s residence showed that the Chief Minister was “disturbed, desperate, and rattled.”
The controversy intensified after Congress leaders, including Khera and Assam unit chief Gaurav Gogoi, claimed that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma possessed passports from India, the UAE and Egypt, and had undisclosed assets abroad, including property in Dubai and a company in Wyoming, USA.
Further developments are awaited as the political confrontation between the ruling party and the opposition escalates.