‘Fight us in people’s court’: Gogoi on Assam CM’s Rs 500-Cr defamation suit

Biswanath, Feb 12: Assam’s political temperature is rising as the war of words between Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and APCC chief Gaurav Gogoi shows no sign of easing.

A day after a civil court barred three Congress leaders, including Gogoi, from making any fresh remarks against Sarma until they appear before it on March 9, the Congress leader, on Thursday, hit back, saying he would prefer to “fight on the streets, not in the court.”

Speaking to the press during the second phase of the “Samay Paribartan Yatra” in Biswanath district, Gogoi accused the Chief Minister of lacking political courage and resorting to legal action.

Responding to questions about the defamation case filed against AICC leaders, Gogoi said, “How can someone without honour be defamed? The Chief Minister has chosen to go to court because he has become politically insecure. If he has courage, he should fight us face-to-face in the court of the people.”

He added, “We could also file cases, but I am a politician. I believe in public conscience. I want to fight Himanta Biswa Sarma on the streets, not in the courtroom. The people of Assam will decide.”

Gogoi further alleged that approaching higher courts over political criticism reflected weakness rather than strength. “When political leaders start running to the courts to silence opponents, it shows they are afraid of democratic debate,” he said.

The Congress leader also levelled allegations against the Assam Police, accusing it of bias. He claimed that two IT cell employees associated with the Congress were being summoned daily to Dispur Police Station based on what he described as a “motivated complaint,” while ordinary citizens allegedly struggled to get their complaints registered.

“We have seen remarkable speed when it comes to acting against Congress workers or opposition leaders. But when an ordinary woman from a village approaches a police station with a serious complaint, often even an FIR is not registered,” Gogoi alleged.

The Samay Paribartan Yatra rally was attended by several senior Congress leaders, including Debabrata Saikia, Ripun Bora, Bhupen Kumar Borah, Sibamoni Bora and others.

As part of the programme, Gogoi unveiled a statue of Babu Chabilal Upadhyaya at Balipukhuri.

Addressing party workers, he said, “Today we are starting the second phase of the Samay Paribartan Yatra from Biswanath. Wherever we have gone so far, people have embraced us warmly. The public response is what matters most.”