Senior Congress leaders on Wednesday alleged that a company with which Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife is associated has received Rs 10 crore as part of credit linked subsidy under a central government scheme.
Rejecting the accusation, Sarma asserted that his wife and the company concerned have not received any subsidy from the central government.
Congress Deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi claimed in a social media post that the website of the Ministry of Food Processing shows that the Riniki Bhuyan Sarma’s firm Pride East Entertainments Private Limited has received Rs 10 crore as part of credit linked subsidy.
Riniki Bhuyan Sarma is the wife of the Assam chief minister.
Gogoi posted on X that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Kisan Sampada scheme to double the income of farmers.
The PM Kisan Sampada Yojana is a comprehensive package which aims to create modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail
“But in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma used his influence to help his wife’s firm get Rs 10 crore as part of credit linked subsidy. Are Central government schemes meant to enrich BJP?” the senior Congress leader claimed.
Gogoi also posted a photo purportedly of a list from the website of the Ministry of Food Processing, in which the number 10 entry is that of Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and Pride East Entertainments Private Limited.
Reposting the photo uploaded by Gogoi, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said, "Instead of doubling farmers' incomes, PM Modi is enriching the Assam CM. Will PM @narendramodi or the Minister of Food Processing answer? Who cleared this grant? Which other BJP leaders are being given such favours through govt schemes?"
Venugopal's statement was reposted by CWC member Pawan Khera.
The Assam chief minister, however, said, "I would like to clarify that neither my wife nor the company she is associated with has ever received any financial subsidies from the government of India."
Sarma, also a senior BJP leader, in a post on 'X' said that he "would like to reiterate (this) again with full responsibility".
An Assamese web portal recently published a report alleging that a substantial parcel of agricultural land measuring over 50 bighas at Darigaji village in Kaliabor in Nagaon district was reclassified as industrial land within a month after it was bought by family members of the chief minister.
The Assam Jatiya Parishad President Lurinjyoti Gogoi called for a thorough and impartial judicial inquiry into it by the Gauhati High Court.
-With PTI Input
