When Tarun Gogoi had Covid, I wore PPE kit and met him: Assam CM’s Himanta Biswa to Gaurav Gogoi

A day after the allegations levelled by Assam Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi against Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, that her company PrideEast Entertainments Pvt Ltd has received Rs 10 crore from the Centre, snowballed into a huge personal and political row, CM Sarma has dared Gaurav Gogoi and said that if anyone can, then they should fight with him directly, defeat him in elections instead of dragging his wife into their political fight.

In a comment that could hit Gaurav Gogoi emotionally, CM Sarma reminded, “When Tarun Gogoi (Gaurav Gogoi’s father and former 3-time Assam CM) was down with Covid, I was the person who wore PPE kit and went and met him.”

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, CM Sarma said, “I said I will resign as Assam CM, retire from public life, if Riniki has received a single rupee from the Centre.”

He said if people want to know what the truth is, then they should file RTI. “Just file RTI and you will know if we got the money or not. File RTI and you will get all details including cheque number and date when was the money given and to whom”.

Mentioning that several of the media houses in Guwahati own other businesses too, the CM said, “There is nothing wrong in PrideEast Entertainments Pvt Limited trying to set up something. Some media houses here own automobile showrooms, some have wedding halls. If other TV channel owners can establish alternate businesses, then what is wrong in the owner of News Live TV channel setting up other businesses? There are no restrictions or objection.”

“If you can, then fight with me, why drag my wife into it. I do not approve of the low standard of political discourse in Assam. Defeat me in Jalukbari (CM Sarma’s constituency). Defeat me in Assam. Her (Riniki) father was an industrialist, daughter is trying to do something. What is wrong in that, why object to that? They are behaving as if Riniki had gone to rob a bank. I understand they have been out of power for eight years and they are frustrated but that does not mean you hit someone’s wife below the belt. Assam welcomes business persons, industrialists, business investors. If Pepsi can invest in Assam, why can’t a girl from Assam not invest in Assam? It is Riniki’s failure that she could not get the money this is not the first time. I have noticed, since 2008, it has been a mentality to drag Riniki into controversies,” the CM said adding that his wife would file the defamation case against Gaurav Gogoi over the next few days.

Yesterday, CM Sarma had challenged Gogoi to prove his allegations against Riniki Bhuyan Sharma. The Chief Minister said if Gogoi’s allegations are proved, he will retire from public life.

The Chief Minister’s statement was in response to allegations levelled by Gaurav Gogoi that Pride East Entertainments Pvt Ltd (Riniki Bhuyan Sharma is the CMD of the company) had received a Rs 10 cr subsidy from the Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampad Yojna.

Reacting to Gogoi’s claims, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma had asserted that the company has neither claimed nor received any subsidy whatsoever from the Government of India as alleged by Gaurav Gogoi.
In a statement posted on micro blogging site X, CMD Riniki Bhuyan Sharma said that her company “is a law-abiding company with all its financial records in the public domain.”

She said that she has decided to file a defamation case in the court of law against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi with Rs 10 crore in damages over his allegations. The Pride East CMD said that she has decided to file the defamation case against MP Gogoi to protect the reputation of her hardworking employees from this slanderous campaign.

Riniki Bhuyan Sharma’s response on X reads, “My response to allegations levelled against PrideEast Entertainments Pvt Ltd. It is a law-abiding company with all its financial records in the public domain. With a long and successful business track record, PrideEast Entertainments Pvt Ltd., like any other qualifying enterprise, is eligible to participate in government-supported programs/incentive schemes. However, in the present case, pertaining to the PM Kisan Sampada Scheme, PrideEast Entertainments has neither claimed nor received a single paisa of government subsidy, despite meeting all eligibility criteria.
This is nothing but an attack to malign and defame a 17-year-old Assamese enterprise, which has adhered to every aspect of the law, headed by a woman entrepreneur. To protect the reputation of our hardworking employees from this slanderous campaign of Sri Gaurav Gogoi, Member of Parliament.
I am thereby constrained to file a case of defamation with Rs 10 crore in damages against him in the court of law.”

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