Assam Chief Minister Files Massive Rs 500 Crore Defamation Lawsuit Against Congress Leaders
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has escalated his political battle with the Congress party by filing a substantial Rs 500 crore defamation lawsuit against three prominent Congress leaders. The legal action specifically targets Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, along with party leaders Jitendra Singh and Bhupesh Baghel, following their allegations of widespread land grabbing involving the Chief Minister and his family members.
Land Grab Allegations Spark Legal Retaliation
The controversy erupted last Wednesday when Congress leaders held a press conference making serious accusations against Chief Minister Sarma. They claimed that approximately 12,000 bighas of land had been illegally acquired across Assam in the names of Sarma's family members, allegedly in violation of established rules and regulations.
"Today, I have filed a defamation case seeking Rs 500 crore in damages against Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel, and Gaurav Gogoi for making false, malicious, and defamatory allegations against me through a press conference," Sarma announced publicly on social media platform X.
The Chief Minister had previously responded to the allegations within hours of the press conference, categorically denying the claims and labeling them as "false, malicious and defamatory." At that time, he had warned of impending civil and criminal defamation proceedings against the Congress leaders involved in making the allegations.
Congress MLAs File Counter Complaint Over Controversial Video
In a parallel development on the same day, Assam Congress MLAs Sibamoni Bora and Diganta Barman submitted a formal police complaint against Chief Minister Sarma at the Dispur police station in Guwahati. Their complaint centers around a now-deleted video that was posted on the Assam BJP's official social media handle.
The controversial video, which was uploaded on Saturday with the caption "Point blank shot," featured disturbing imagery showing Chief Minister Sarma aiming a rifle at two men wearing skullcaps. One of the men in the image bore resemblance to Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi. The video concluded with Sarma depicted in cowboy attire wielding a gun, superimposed with provocative phrases including "No mercy to Bangladeshis," "Why did you go to Pakistan?" and "Foreigner-free Assam."
"The aforesaid content targeting a particular community is highly provocative and communal, which will definitely lead to social disharmony amongst the people," stated the formal complaint submitted by the Congress MLAs, who are seeking the registration of an FIR against the Chief Minister.
Political Tensions Escalate in Assam
The video, which was removed from social media platforms on Sunday, has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress party. In an official statement, the party condemned the content, stating that it "appears to glorify the targeted, 'point-blank' murder of minorities."
This exchange of legal actions and complaints represents a significant escalation in the ongoing political confrontation between the ruling BJP government in Assam and the opposition Congress party. The Rs 500 crore defamation suit filed by Chief Minister Sarma stands as one of the largest such claims in recent Indian political history, highlighting the intensity of the conflict.
The simultaneous filing of the police complaint by Congress MLAs over the controversial video adds another layer to the political drama, creating a complex legal and political standoff between the two parties. Both sides have now taken their grievances to formal legal channels, setting the stage for potentially prolonged legal battles that could have significant implications for Assam's political landscape.
As these developments unfold, political observers are closely monitoring how these legal actions will impact the ongoing political discourse in Assam and whether they will influence public perception ahead of future electoral contests in the state.
