From Our Political Correspondent
New Delhi/Guwahati: Just four days before Assam goes to the polls on April 9, a sensational press conference at the AICC headquarters on 24 Akbar Road has detonated a political bomb that could reshape the narrative of the high-stakes Assembly elections.
On Sunday, April 5, Congress leader and Chairman of Media & Publicity, Shri Pawan Khera, addressed journalists with visible outrage. “Comrades,” he began, his voice heavy with disbelief, “some of our supporters abroad have sent us documents so shocking that we ourselves were stunned. In independent India’s politics, perhaps no bigger exposure has ever been made against a sitting Chief Minister and his family.”
Khera projected passports, property deeds, and corporate records onto a giant screen. He alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, holds three active, unexpired foreign passports:
· A UAE Golden Card issued in Abu Dhabi on March 14, 2022, valid until March 13, 2027.
· A passport from Antigua and Barbuda issued on August 26, 2021, valid until August 25, 2031.
· A passport from Egypt issued on February 13, 2022, valid until February 12, 2029.
He questioned how this was possible under Indian law, which prohibits dual citizenship. “A Chief Minister whose politics thrives on strong nationalist rhetoric and often targets others’ loyalty—yet his wife holds passports from two Muslim-majority countries and a Caribbean nation?” Khera thundered. “Does she still hold an Indian passport? Is she even an Indian citizen? If yes, this is illegal. If not, how dare he question anyone else’s nationalism?”
The allegations escalated with claims of undisclosed assets. Khera displayed Dubai title deeds dated August 8, 2022, for two properties in Al Barsha South Fourth—one set of hotel rooms and one flat—allegedly registered under Riniki Bhuyan Sarma or “M Group Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.” “Why were these not declared in Himanta Biswa Sarma’s election affidavit?” he demanded. “When you contest elections, you swear on oath. This is concealment.”
The most staggering claim came from the United States. Khera presented documents of Riniki Bhuyan Sarma Asset Collective LLC, registered in Wyoming—a state popular for zero state income tax and strong privacy protections. He claimed the company’s annual meeting minutes listed family members, including Riniki (twice) and references interpreted as Himanta and their son Nandil. Resolutions allegedly approved a budget exceeding $3.467 billion (over ₹2,900 crore) for “Riniki Bhuyan Hotels” and involved massive asset distributions among family members—figures running into tens of billions of dollars that left Khera pausing, his throat dry, urging journalists to “count the zeros themselves.”
“Where did this money come from?” Khera roared. “Why hide it in a tax haven like Wyoming? This is not politics. This is the playbook of economic fugitives.”
He directly challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah, describing Himanta as Shah’s “adopted son.” “Did the Home Minister know about his ‘adopted daughter-in-law’s’ three foreign passports? Will he order an SIT probe?” Khera likened the alleged actions to those of fugitives like Dawood Ibrahim or Nirav Modi and mocked Himanta’s past jibes, calling the family “Banti-Babli in reverse.”
With Assam’s elections looming, Khera declared the Congress would approach the Election Commission “100 percent” and take the matter to the “court of the people.” “If any shred of mask remains on Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, throw it away now. This man must be disqualified and arrested.”
Sharp Counter-Attack from Himanta Biswa Sarma
The Assam Chief Minister hit back ferociously within hours, branding the documents “malicious, fabricated, and politically motivated lies.” Sarma and his wife Riniki announced they would file both criminal and civil defamation suits against Pawan Khera within 48 hours. He pointed to inconsistencies in the documents—mismatched names, dates, birth years, nationality details, and even claimed the UAE document was a Golden Visa card misrepresented as a passport. Assam Police, using diplomatic channels, reportedly verified the UAE document as fake, with verifications for others expected soon.
Sarma framed the timing as desperate Congress tactics on the eve of polling, accusing the opposition of resorting to personal smears when development, governance, and anti-infiltration issues dominate voter concerns. BJP leaders echoed this, calling the material “photoshopped” or “AI-generated” and accusing Congress of sinking to new lows.
Political Fallout and Voter Impact
The controversy has instantly dominated headlines and social media, creating a polarized storm. Congress hopes the “hypocrisy angle”—nationalist rhetoric versus alleged foreign assets and passports—will erode Himanta’s strongman image among core voters, especially in a border state sensitive to issues of loyalty and infiltration. The dramatic timing maximizes pre-poll damage, leaving little room for calm rebuttals.
Yet risks abound. Sarma’s aggressive denial and counter-offensive could consolidate his base by portraying Congress as desperate and unethical. Assam’s electorate has previously rewarded his decisive leadership; a “fake documents” narrative might trigger a sympathy wave rather than outrage.
Nationally, the BJP faces uncomfortable questions about oversight involving a key ally close to Amit Shah. For Congress, success hinges on whether any part of the claims withstands scrutiny; failure could severely dent its credibility and hand BJP ammunition ahead of future battles.
Legal ripples are already spreading. The Election Commission has been urged to take suo motu notice over alleged false affidavits, though pre-poll action remains rare. Defamation cases will likely play out in courts, with potential disqualification proceedings under the Representation of the People Act possible only post-election if violations are proven.
As polling day approaches on April 9, this Sunday bombshell has turned the Assam campaign into a battlefield of narratives—exposure versus fabrication, accountability versus desperation. Whether the documents prove genuine or fabricated, the coming days—and eventual court verdicts—will test public trust, institutional response, and the resilience of one of the BJP’s most prominent regional faces.
In Indian politics, such last-minute revelations rarely decide elections single-handedly, but they can decisively shape voter sentiment, force defensive campaigning, and leave lasting scars. The people of Assam will deliver their verdict at the ballot box, even as lawyers sharpen their arguments.