CM Sarma, Gaurav Gogoi lock horns over ED’s exposé of illegal coal mining in state

Guwahati, April 26: A war of words has broken out between Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, following the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) revelations about illegal coal mining operations in the state.

In a scathing social media post, Gogoi accused the state government of turning a blind eye to illegal mining.

"ED exposes Assam’s illegal coal empire! Rs 1.58 Crore cash seized. Fake invoices. 1200 tonnes of illegal coal extracted DAILY in Margherita, Jogighopa, Guwahati. All under the nose of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who kept denying illegal mining!" Gogoi's post read.

Gogoi went on to highlight the scale of the operations, claiming that coal mafias were paying between Rs 1.27 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh per truck to facilitate the movement of illegal coal across state borders.

He alleged that depots were being used to disguise illegal mining as legitimate business, calling the entire operation a "syndicate" and questioning whether such extensive illegal activity could occur without government protection.

“Is this loot possible without the government's protection? Who is Assam’s real Syndicate Raja? Dispur must answer. The people of Assam demand accountability," he demanded, urging the state government to take responsibility.

In a sharp rebuttal, Chief Minister Sarma accused the Congress party of hypocrisy in its stance on the Enforcement Directorate. He pointed out the contradiction between Congress' national leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, which has been critical of the ED, and the actions of its own Deputy Leader, who was now relying on the agency’s findings to attack the state government.

"The Congress party today stands thoroughly exposed on the issue of the ED. On one hand, Rahul Gandhi and his camp are relentlessly maligning the ED, calling it a political tool. On the other hand, their own Deputy Leader is busy glorifying the very same agency," Sarma posted on a micro-blogging website.

Sarma further highlighted the BJP’s consistent stance on investigative agencies, stating, "This doublespeak reflects the utter confusion and hypocrisy within Congress. In contrast, our position is principled and unwavering — we support all investigating agencies, regardless of whether their actions favour us or go against us."

The exchange of barbs comes at a time when the ED has unearthed troubling findings about illegal coal mining in Assam.

The agency recently seized Rs 1.58 crore in cash and uncovered evidence that over 1200 tonnes of illegal coal were being extracted daily at multiple locations, including Margherita, Jogighopa, and Guwahati.

The investigations also revealed a widespread practice of fake invoicing, with coal being falsely passed off as legally mined.

Links between coal syndicates operating in Assam and Meghalaya have been confirmed, with the ED conducting raids at 15 different locations.

"It is further revealed that persons operating the depot in Jogighopa, Assam, are involved in the business of fake bills/invoices, through which the illegally mined coal is presented as a legitimate business transaction," read a statement from the ED.

The ongoing investigation is expected to further intensify political debates surrounding the state’s coal mining operations.