Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said he was willing to accept any punishment, including retirement from public life, if there is any evidence that his wife or her company received or claimed any amount from the Central government. Congress Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday alleged that the company of the chief minister's wife got a credit subsidy of Rs 10 crore from the Centre under a scheme.
Hours, after the chief minister threatened to move court against Gogoi, his wife Rinki Bhuyan Sarma, came out with a statement saying that she would file a defamation suit of Rs 10 crore against the Congress MP for his alleged 'slanderous campaign' against her company, Pride East Entertainments Private Limited.
The chief minister and Gogoi have been crossing swords on X, formerly Twitter, since Wednesday over the Congress leader’s allegation.
''I want to emphasise again that neither my wife, nor the company she is associated with, has received or claimed any amount from the government of India. If anyone can provide evidence, I am willing to accept any punishment including retirement from public life," Sarma posted on the micro-blogging site.
In one of his posts, Sarma, without naming Gogoi’s father – former chief minister Tarun Gogoi – said that during the coronavirus pandemic, ''one of Assam's tallest politicians experienced post-Covid complications. We advised his family to transfer him to Delhi for better treatment, with the state government covering the expenses. However, his distinguished son refused to take the patient to Delhi''.
In his reply, Gogoi shared a link to a YouTube video in which his father was seen saying in Assamese that “he had never met a person who could touch his feet and put a dagger in his back at the same time“.
Sarma, who had quit the Congress to join the BJP in 2015, admitted he had disagreements with Tarun Gogoi who died of post-Covid illness in 2020.
“And your family has done lots of injustice to me since 2010. However, during the unfortunate Covid-19 period, I visited him inside the hospital, risking my own life, to ensure he received the best treatment,'' he said.
Expressing his gratitude to the doctors, nurses and ward staff of Guwahati Medical College for taking care of his father, Gogoi said “I am also grateful to the state government.”
Sarma, who was the health minister at that time, thanked Gogoi for his gratitude to the state government and the medical fraternity.
In reply, the Congress leader said, “I don’t know why you raised such a personal traumatic issue in the first place. Please come to the Assam Assembly tomorrow and debate the issue related to Rs 10 crore grant under PMKSY.”
Earlier also, Gogoi urged Sarma to be present in the Assam assembly and clarify the matter instead of “typing on X”.
Sarma responded, ''Please do not lecture me on what to do. Whether I decide to go to the assembly or a court of law against you, I will make that decision myself''.
The Congress leader further urged Sarma not to get agitated and said he would send the ''link of opposition MLAs wanting your presence in Assembly...I will be happy if you move court, then at least all the documents will be made public''.
An angry Sarma retorted: ''Yes, I am agitated. There have been numerous reasons for my anger against your family since 2010. I am confident that we will meet in court, and once again, I will be able to prove my point."
On Wednesday, Gogoi had posted on X that the website of the Ministry of Food Processing shows that Pride East Entertainments Private Limited had received Rs 10 crore as part of credit linked subsidy.
The PM Kisan Sampada Yojana is a comprehensive package which aims to create modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management.
The chief minister has repeatedly asserted that his wife and the company she is associated with have not received any subsidy from the central government.
The Congress shared purported photographs of two documents showing the reply in Lok Sabha of Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who had responded to a question in the Lok Sabha by Assam BJP MP Pallab Lochan Das on March 22, 2023.
The Union minister's response to the question also included an annexure in which Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and 'Pride East Entertainment Private Limited' are mentioned.
The chief minister claimed that the reply clarifies that the government of India has not released any funds to the company.
In retaliation, Gogoi said, ''Is Hon’ble Chief Minister complaining to Union Minister Piyush Goyal? He is saying Goyal has only approved the grant to the wife of Sarma but has not released the funds. How many more BJP politicians have used the PMKSY scheme to enrich their families?''.
Sarma said, “All family members of BJP politicians have the right to run their own companies and seek government subsidies if they are entitled to them."
-With PTI Input
