Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on April 6 rejected allegations of holding foreign assets, asserting that neither she nor her family has any business interests or properties outside India.
Responding to a post by Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, she said, “Neither I, nor my children, nor my husband have any business interests or assets in Dubai or anywhere outside India.”
In a sharp counter, she questioned Gogoi whether his wife has or has ever had a bank account in Pakistan, and asked if he would make such details public. She also accused him of shifting his claims, stating that within 24 hours he moved from referring to a “Golden visa on an Egyptian passport” to an “Indian passport.”
The exchange follows a series of questions raised by Gogoi, who had sought clarification from the Chief Minister regarding alleged foreign links. He had asked whether Sarma’s wife holds a Dubai Golden Visa, whether it is linked to an Indian passport, and whether any family members own property or operate businesses abroad.
Gogoi also questioned whether such assets, if any, were disclosed in election affidavits and said that the Chief Minister should welcome an investigation if there is nothing to hide.
The controversy originates from earlier allegations by Pawan Khera, who claimed that certain documents indicated multiple passports linked to Sarma’s wife and raised concerns over possible legal violations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dismissed the claims as baseless, calling the documents “fake” and alleging a politically motivated attempt to defame the Chief Minister ahead of the Assembly elections.
The ongoing exchange marks a fresh escalation in the political confrontation between the BJP and the Indian National Congress in Assam ahead of the polls, with both sides trading serious allegations.