NEW DELHI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday hit out at the Congress, alleging a “Pakistani link” to a recent press conference by senior Congress leaders Pawan Khera in Delhi and Gaurav Gogoi in Guwahati that targeted his wife Rinki Bhuyan Sarma over claims of holding multiple passports.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma said his government’s preliminary findings suggest that the material used in the press briefing was “sourced from a Pakistani social media group”, raising serious concerns about foreign interference in state politics.
According to Sarma, over the past ten days, Pakistani media channels have unusually focused on Assam’s political landscape, airing at least 11 talk shows discussing the state’s elections, each allegedly concluding in favour of the Congress.
He further claimed that an image of a UAE passport, central to the controversy, was originally uploaded online by a Pakistani individual and later “manipulated using AI tools” by Congress members. He also dismissed claims regarding an Egyptian passport as “completely fake,” adding that basic verification methods such as reverse image searches would expose the truth.
The chief minister also questioned Gaurav Gogoi, son of former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, asking why he had “stooped so low” and demanding clarity on any alleged links with Pakistan. Sarma said that legal action was initiated and a police complaint filed against Congress leader Pawan Khera and others involved in the press conference.
“My wife has filed an FIR on Sunday and I am sure that police will register the case under appropriate sections and take necessary action,” he said.
Sarma further claimed that he had prior information about the development, stating that he had alerted a journalist on March 27 about an impending political move. He described the episode as a “crime against the country”.
Moreover, he cited fluctuations in “satta bazaar” trends as an indicator of shifting public sentiment, claiming that the NDA’s projected tally in Assam rose from 94 to 99 seats following the controversy. He asserted that the Congress was “finished in Assam” and accused the party of repeating past tactics of targeting political opponents through questionable means.