Sivasagar/Guwahati, Apr 7 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday slammed the Congress for “not verifying” the documents based on which it brought allegations against him and his family.
Congress leader Pawan Khera had on Sunday alleged that Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has multiple passports and foreign property, which were not declared in the chief minister’s election affidavit.
Sarma also hit out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, claiming that he was “speaking like a madman” due to old age, after the latter put the onus on central agencies to probe the charges.
The CM asserted that Khera had “run away” to Hyderabad, but the Assam Police will “hunt him down even from ‘pataal’ (netherworld)”.
“‘Assam Police ko nahi jante hain… Pataal se bhi ukhar ke le ayega’ (They don’t know the Assam Police… they will hunt him down even from the netherworld),” Sarma asserted.
An Assam Police team had earlier in the day visited Khera’s Delhi residence to question him in connection with the case, but could not find him.
When asked for his reaction to Kharge’s assertion that the Union government should probe the allegations now, Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of an election campaign, “If they didn’t know the truth, why did they put it out in public? They should have asked the foreign minister first.” Kharge, at a presser in Guwahati on Tuesday, said all agencies are under the central government, which should probe the charges.
“They have already filed an FIR against Khera. Let them probe the matter. We will face the case as it progresses. We have sought probe by the ED or CBI into the allegations,” he said.
Sarma added, “Kharge is ageing and is speaking like a ‘paagal’ (madman). You insult the people first and then say will ask the foreign minister (for verification)? Is he your ‘damaad’ (son-in-law)?” “I think Rahul Gandhi had given these documents to Khera, and if that is so, the case will also include him,” the CM added.
Sarma warned the Congress against “trying to threaten us as we have fought out Islamic invasion 17 times”, as he also referred to legendary Ahom general Lachit Barphukan who had decisively defeated the Mughals.
“We are from a different world… We don’t care about Kharge and such,” the CM asserted.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sarma had claimed that Khera had “run away” to Hyderabad, after daring the state police to arrest him.
“Pawan Khera had dared the Assam Police to arrest him, but he has now run away to Hyderabad,” Sarma told PTI Videos in Sivasagar on the sidelines of a poll campaign meeting.
The Assam Police team on Tuesday carried out a search at the Delhi residence of Khera in connection with a case filed by Sarma’s wife over his allegations of multiple passports and undeclared assets, officials said.
Assam Police DCP Debojit Nath said that Khera was not found at his residence. However, he said, a search was carried out and electronic devices were seized.
“I don’t know why they have gone, as he (Khera) ran away yesterday itself. Till yesterday, Khera was saying arrest me, and now when police reached his home, he ran away,” Sarma claimed.
“He had brought false allegations against me,” the CM asserted, adding that he will “not spare” the Congress leader.
Reacting to the police action in Delhi, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi questioned the force for its “inaction” in case of complaints by the opposition candidates in the state.
“When Gorkha youth leader Sunil Chetry (Raijor Dal candidate), Congress women candidates Bidisha Neog and Mira Borthakur were attacked, where was Assam Police then?” Gogoi, who is contesting from Jorhat, said.
“When a Congress spokesperson called a press conference, the police woke up,” he said.
“People want relief from such an undemocratic government and it will be reflected in the election result,” the Congress leader added.
The Congress is part of a six-party opposition alliance, which also includes the Raijor Dal.
Khera had on Sunday alleged that Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has passports of the UAE, Egypt and Antigua-Barbuda, two properties in Dubai and assets in shell companies in the US.
These details were not declared in Sarma’s election affidavit, the Congress claimed, and approached the Election Commission for disqualifying him.
On Monday, Sarma had alleged that the Congress used “false information” sourced from a Pakistani social media group to level “baseless” and “malicious” allegations against his wife. The BJP leader termed it an attempt to influence the Assam elections and a punishable offence.
The chief minister had also said that his wife has filed a police complaint against Khera.
For the last one year, the Assam CM and the BJP have been attacking Gogoi and his British wife Elizabeth Colburn, alleging connections with Pakistan’s spy agency ISI.
Elections to the 126-member Assam assembly will be held on April 9. Votes will be counted on May 4. PTI SSG RBT SSG ACD
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.