A political controversy has erupted in Assam after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that the minor children of a sitting Member of Parliament (MP) from the state are no longer Indian citizens. Though Sarma refrained from naming the MP, his comments are being widely interpreted as an attack on Congress leader and MP from Assam, Gaurav Gogoi. The remark, made in a social media post on May 1, has sparked sharp reactions from the Congress party, which accused Sarma of making irresponsible and politically motivated statements. “I say this with full responsibility — the minor children of one Member of Parliament from Assam are no longer citizens of India. But this is just the beginning. There is much more yet to be revealed,” Sarma wrote on X (formerly Twitter), hinting at further revelations in the coming weeks.
The post has drawn widespread attention, not only due to its serious nature but also because it intensifies the ongoing political feud between the BJP and the Congress in the northeastern state. In a retaliatory move, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee questioned whether Sarma’s comments could apply equally to senior BJP leaders. In a strongly worded response, the Congress wrote online: “Dear Himanta BS, are you talking about Dr. S. Jaishankar’s two children? Or is it Piyush Goyal’s children? Hardeep Singh Puri’s? Or Sudha Murthy’s? Be specific while making such big allegations against people in your own party.” The remarks come at a time when political temperatures are already rising in Assam. On April 28, Sarma had accused Gaurav Gogoi of travelling to Pakistan and Nepal, claiming he had “clear evidence” of these visits and promising to make the details public by September. Gogoi has neither confirmed nor denied these allegations, while the Congress has continued to denounce the accusations as baseless.
Adding to the intrigue, Sarma recently made another cryptic remark asking whether a Congress MP had stayed in Pakistan for 15 consecutive days. He also questioned if the MP’s wife was receiving a salary from a Pakistani NGO. Though no names were mentioned, the insinuations have deepened the divide between the ruling party and the opposition in the state. Observers say the developments point to a deliberate hardening of political rhetoric ahead of the next round of elections. The BJP has been sharpening its attacks on opposition leaders in Assam, while the Congress has increasingly gone on the offensive, calling out what it terms the ruling party’s “diversionary tactics” to deflect from core governance issues. Gaurav Gogoi, known for being vocal against the BJP government both in Assam and at the Centre, has often found himself in the crosshairs of Sarma. This latest controversy further cements the personal and political rivalry between the two prominent figures in Assam’s political landscape.