Guwahati, April 5 — The Indian National Congress escalated its offensive against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday, publicly demanding he answer three pointed questions regarding his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma's alleged dual citizenship, overseas property, and a company in the United States.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, APCC president Gaurav Gogoi, flanked by senior Congress leaders Pawan Khera, Bhupesh Baghel, and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, laid out the party's demands directly.
Also Read: Assam Government suspends five LPG distributors for irregularities
"We simply have three questions for the Chief Minister," Gogoi said. "One is whether his wife possesses dual passports and, if yes, whether she has surrendered her Indian passport. Secondly, whether she has property in Dubai. Thirdly, whether he and his family own a company in the US."
Gogoi further questioned whether the CM had disclosed the alleged Dubai property in his election nomination papers filed with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
"If not, then he has given misinformation to the ECI," Gogoi charged. The Congress president said the party would approach the ECI to seek Sarma's disqualification and also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to refer the matter to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for investigation.
Gogoi stressed that their allegations are backed by documents already in the party's possession.
"Our allegations are based on documents procured by us, and the onus is on the Government of India to prove their authenticity," he said, urging the CM to address the public directly rather than retreat to the courts.
Gogoi took a pointed dig at what he described as a pattern of suppressing opposition scrutiny through defamation suits. "Whenever any allegations are levelled by the Opposition, the CM approaches the court and files a defamation case. When a matter is brought before the court, it remains inaccessible to the public, and the case drags on."
"Today also, he has threatened to go to court. We are also ready to go to court — but before that, he should reply to the public," Gogoi added.
When reporters pointed out that CM Sarma had dismissed the allegations as fake, Gogoi was unfazed.
"No criminal will say he has committed a crime. So, we want a high-level inquiry to be conducted by the Government of India," he responded.
Reporters questioned why Congress held a separate press conference in Guwahati after already addressing the media in New Delhi on the same issue.
Gogoi explained that the Assam media had an independent right to question the party on its home turf. "We're conducting another press conference here because the media in Assam has a right to question us about our allegations. We're open to giving replies to any question put to us. We respect journalists," he said.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera told reporters the party had only begun releasing what it holds.
"We got the documents and put them before you after verifying them. We've more documents and we'll place them before you after verification. We'll not let the matter rest and will pursue it to its logical conclusion," Khera said.
The Congress has indicated it will continue pressing the matter through both political and legal channels until it receives a formal, public response from the Chief Minister.