Gaurav Gogoi questions Assam CM family over foreign assets, Riniki Sarma responds

A political row erupted in Assam after Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi questioned Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s family over alleged foreign assets. Riniki Bhuyan Sarma denied the claims and countered with questions, escalating tensions ahead of elections

Guwahati: A political war of words erupted in Assam on Monday after Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi raised a series of questions targeting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his family over alleged foreign assets and links, with the CM’s wife rejecting the allegations.

In a post on X, Gogoi sought answers from the Chief Minister on five specific points, including whether Sarma’s wife holds a “golden visa” for Dubai, whether such a visa is linked to an Indian passport, and whether any member of the Chief Minister’s family owns property or runs businesses abroad. He also questioned whether any such assets had been disclosed in Sarma’s election affidavit. “Himanta Biswa Sarma should welcome an investigation if he has nothing to hide,” Gogoi said, escalating the political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress in the poll-bound state.

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The allegations drew a sharp and immediate rebuttal from the Chief Minister’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, who dismissed the claims as baseless and “laughable”. Responding on X, she categorically denied any foreign financial or business links. “Neither I, nor my children, nor my husband have any business interests or assets in Dubai or anywhere outside India,” she stated.

In a counterattack, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma also raised questions about Gogoi’s family, asking him to disclose whether his wife has or had a bank account in Pakistan and whether he would make such details public. Her response marked a sharp escalation, turning the spotlight back on the Congress leader.

She further accused Gogoi of shifting his stance within a short span of time, pointing out that his earlier allegation referred to a “golden visa on an Egyptian passport”, which had now changed to an Indian passport. “Within 24 hours, you’ve already climbed down,” she remarked.

The exchange underscores intensifying political tensions in Assam ahead of upcoming electoral battles, with both the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress engaging in increasingly personal and direct attacks. While Gogoi has called for transparency and a possible probe, the Chief Minister’s family has outright rejected the allegations, asserting that there are no undisclosed foreign assets or interests.

The controversy is likely to further fuel political debates in the state, with both sides expected to continue their offensive in the coming days.