‘Most corrupt chief minister in the country’: Rahul Gandhi on Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is currently on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam lashed out at the state’s chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, during one of his rallies. He called Sarma the “most corrupt chief minister in the country”. 

In a rally, Gandhi said in Hindi, “Your chief minister spreads fear and hatred 24X7. As the fear and hatred spreads in the state, your chief minister steals your land. If you have paan, the business of supari is his…when you wake up in the morning, as you see here and there as the hatred spreads, he picks the money out of your wallet. This is his job…he is the country’s most corrupt chief minister…he has taken land in Kaziranga…now if you go to see rhinos in Kaziranga, you will come to know that the land there is his. In the evening you will have some paan and realise that too is his. If you watch TV and the media, you will see him behind them. Whatever the media and the TV are telling you, it is what the chief minister wants. And who has the control of Assam’s chief minister? It is in the hands of Amit Shah. If he dares say anything against Amit Shah, he will be thrown out of the party in 2 minutes.”

This comes amid an ongoing spat between the Congress and the BJP leaders. Sarma, before the yatra arrived in Guwahati, had said that they would not be allowed inside the city. As they tried to enter the city, a scuffle broke out where several people were injured. Eventually, an FIR was registered against Gandhi for “provoking the crowd”. 

Meanwhile, he also responded to the FIR filed against him. He said on Wednesday that no matter how many cases the BJP and RSS file against him, he will not be intimidated. 

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on social media that due to “wanton acts of violence, provocation, damage to public property and assault on police personnel by Congress members”, an FIR has been filed against Gandhi, K C Venugopal, Kanhaiya Kumar and others.

Gandhi started the yatra from Manipur’s Thoubal on January 14, and resumed from Assam’s Barpeta on its 11th day. 

Also read: FIR against Rahul Gandhi, other Congress leaders for 'violence, assault' during yatra in Assam