Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday asserted that the party stands with its leader Pawan Khera, against whom the case came to light after he accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma of holding multiple passports.
In a post, Rahul Gandhi described Himanta Biswa Sarma as the country’s “most corrupt” chief minister and demanded an investigation into the allegations made by the Congress.
Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter, “The current Chief Minister of Assam is the most corrupt Chief Minister of the country. He will not escape the law. Misusing power to harass his political opponents and critics is against the Constitution. The questions being raised should be investigated. Transparency, accountability of power and rule of law are the basis of our constitutional values. Congress party stands with Pawan Kheda. We will not be afraid.”
The Congress MP’s comments came as Assam Police appealed in the Supreme Court against the Telangana High Court’s decision granting transit bail with certain conditions for a period of one week from April 10.
As per the bail order, Pawan Kheda will have to approach a court of competent jurisdiction in Assam and seek appropriate relief as per law.
Congress media and publicity department chairman Pawan Khera had alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma has three passports and the couple, along with their son, do business worth Rs 52,000 crore in America. However, the Chief Minister of Assam had denied these claims.
Riniki Bhuyan Sharma had filed an FIR against Khera and Assam Police had conducted searches at his residence.
Earlier on April 10, Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi had strongly criticized Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, saying he was “in a state of panic” and was reacting in “desperation”.
Speaking to ANI, Gogoi said the Chief Minister was reacting so strongly because he did not expect “the reports to go viral so fast”.
Gogoi said, “I think Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is completely panicked. He is in panic. He did not expect that the news would go so viral. So, for the last 5-6 days, he has been literally tearing his hair out. His uneasiness is clearly visible in his words, actions and face. All I would like to say is that mere shouting does not make truth a lie; fact does not become fiction just by showing that you have the power to investigate.”