The political row between Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Pawan Khera escalated on Wednesday, as senior BJP and Congress leaders joined the war of words.
The row erupted after Khera, addressing a press conference in Guwahati, alleged that Assam CM’s wife Riniki holds three passports – from India, UAE and Egypt – and owns undisclosed luxury properties in Dubai and a company in US’ Wyoming.
Following this, Riniki filed a criminal defamation FIR against Khera, leading to a raid at his home.
The minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita said the claims made by Khera against Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma were “fake and fabricated.”
BJP, Congress trade barbs
Even as the row escalates with police action, leaders on both sides of the political spectrum engaged in verbal sparring. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday slammed Sarma, saying he had used “rude and derogatory language” against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Kharge had earlier sought clarification from the Centre and the foreign minister over police action against Khera, to which Sarma replied, “Are you crazy? If you don’t know the truth, then why did you put it? You should have asked earlier…First, you should have asked the foreign minister whether it was right or not and that we have received this allegation.”
Rahul Gandhi also condemned Sarma’s remarks, calling them “shameful” and “unacceptable.” He further criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his “silence” on the matter.
While Congress sought an apology from Sarma over his remarks on Kharge, BJP leaders slammed Khera. Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal said Congress would have to “face punishment for its dirty politics.” BJP’s NV Subhash criticised Khera, saying he had made “baseless allegations” against Sarma and his wife.
From police action to MoS rejection of claims: How did the matter escalate?
After Riniki’s FIR, the Assam Police reached Khera’s Delhi residence and conducted searches there. Assam Police DCP Debojit Nath said that Khera was not found at his residence, but said some electronic devices had been seized.
Meanwhile, while Kharge urged the Centre to probe the charges, MoS for external affairs Pabitra Margherita rejected Khera’s claims. “The Congress and its leader, Pawan Khera, along with state party chief Gaurav Gogoi, had shown certain documents, passports, etc against the honourable CM’s wife and said that these passports were of three foreign countries,” Margherita said.
“As the Minister of State for External Affairs, I want to say that through our diplomatic channels and investigation, we have come to know that these are fake and fabricated,” the minister added.
Meanwhile, Assam CM Sarma launched criticism against the Congress for “not verifying” the documents shown by Khera. He further alleged that Khera had “fled to Hyderabad.” “If they didn’t know the truth, why did they put it out in public? They should have asked the foreign minister first,” Sarma said.
