Congress leader Pawan Khera launched a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his government over the recent arrest of a party spokesperson in Guwahati, asserting that Sarma’s time as CM is “limited.” Khera further claimed that Himanta Biswa Sarma is “scared” of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, stating that no amount of fearmongering from Sarma could intimidate Gogoi.
Referring to the arrest of Congress spokesperson Reetam Singh by the Lakhimpur police, Khera drew parallels with past instances where Congress leaders, including himself, faced similar treatment under the Assam police. He said, “The CM should not forget that his days as Chief Minister are numbered and one day he will be in the opposition. How will he protect his own rights if he violates ours?”
Khera continued by saying that Sarma’s actions against Gogoi reflect his fear of the young Congress MP. “Ten thousand Himanta Biswa Sarma cannot scare one Gaurav Gogoi,” Khera stated.
The arrest of Reetam Singh had sparked a sharp exchange between Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on social media. Ramesh condemned the arrest as an “abuse of police powers,” while Sarma defended it, linking it to a caste-based insult against a Dalit woman.
Sarma also warned of a “big revelation” involving a senior Congress leader, Gaurav Gogoi, allegedly connected to ISI and Pakistan, a claim Ramesh quickly dismissed, accusing Sarma of using the police to settle political scores.
In addition to his criticism of the Assam government, Khera also addressed the issue of delimitation, reiterating Congress’s stance that states with better social indicators and population control should not be penalized with reduced seats in the Lok Sabha.
Khera also defended the Telangana government’s decision to include foreign experts in its caste survey panel, arguing that expertise should not be limited by geographical boundaries. He challenged the BJP-led central government to prove that it had never sought foreign expertise during its time in power.
The BJP, however, had criticized the Telangana government for involving international experts in the caste survey, questioning the need for foreign participation in domestic policy matters.
