Assam CM files Rs 500-cr defamation case against Congress leaders over asset claims
The suit follows Gaurav Gogoi’s Rajiv Bhawan claim alleging CM family amassed nearly 12,000 bighas of land across Assam
File image of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (Photo - @CMOfficeAssam / X)
Guwahati, Feb 10: Amid an escalating political confrontation with the Congress, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Tuesday, formally filed a defamation suit seeking Rs 500 crore in damages against senior Congress leaders over what he described as false and malicious allegations against him.
In a post on social media, Sarma said he had initiated the defamation proceedings against Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi for statements made during a press conference.
“Today, I have filed a defamation case seeking ₹500 crore in damages against Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi for making false, malicious and defamatory allegations against me through a press conference,” he wrote.
The lawsuit follows an announcement made by the Chief Minister earlier this month. On February 4, Sarma had said he would initiate both civil and criminal defamation proceedings against senior Congress leaders over allegations levelled against him.
In the same post, the Chief Minister had also issued a strong political rebuttal, asserting that the Congress leaders would have to substantiate their claims in court.
“The era of hit-and-run politics is over. If they have even an ounce of courage or evidence, let them prove every allegation before a court of law. I will not be intimidated by propaganda, coordinated slander, or political theatrics,” he said.
The legal action comes in the wake of allegations made by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi at a press conference held at Rajiv Bhawan on February 4.
Gogoi had accused the Chief Minister’s family of acquiring nearly 12,000 bighas, over 3,960 acres, of land across Assam, claims that Sarma has strongly denied.
Meanwhile, the political temperature rose further on Tuesday as the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) staged a protest at the Manabendra Sharma Complex in Dispur, targeting the Chief Minister over what it described as his alleged asset build-up.
Led by Congress leaders and party workers, the protest focused on claims that the Chief Minister’s family had amassed substantial land holdings, with demonstrators demanding transparency and accountability.
There was no immediate response from the Congress to the filing of the defamation suit on Tuesday.