"If you have the guts as a politician, then fight from the front": Gaurav Gogoi dares Assam CM

Congress MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi on February 12, slammed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of attempting to silence the Opposition through legal action instead of confronting political criticism head-on.

Responding to reported legal steps initiated against him, Gogoi questioned the Chief Minister’s faith in democratic debate and public accountability. “Is he not a politician? Does he not trust the people’s court?” Gogoi asked.

The Congress leader alleged that the ruling dispensation was trying to curb dissent by dragging opponents to court. “You may stop two or three individuals, but the people of Assam know everything,” he said, maintaining that public awareness and judgment ultimately outweigh legal manoeuvres.

In a direct challenge to the Chief Minister, Gogoi said he preferred a political battle over a legal one. “If he has the courage as a politician, he should fight us politically and from the front. I want to fight on the streets, not in the courtroom,” he stated, underscoring his belief in democratic engagement.

Gogoi also referred to allegations levelled against him in recent political exchanges, including insinuations of foreign links, and said he had chosen not to pursue legal retaliation. “We too can file cases and make counter-allegations, but I don’t want to go down that path. I believe in the conscience of the people,” he said.

Calling the Chief Minister “afraid” and “intimidated by Opposition voices,” Gogoi claimed that truth and public sentiment were on his side. “The people of Assam know what is true,” he asserted.