‘Pakistani puppets can’t digest tribal progress’: Sarma hits out at Gogoi over Karbi remarks

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi of attempting to defame Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang, following the MP’s recent visit to the region.

Gogoi, who serves as Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had reportedly raised concerns during his two-day tour of Karbi Anglong. In response, Sarma launched a pointed political counterattack, defending Ronghang and accusing the Congress of undermining the progress of tribal communities.

“Tuliram Ronghang is a respected leader who rose from a humble Karbi village to become the CEM of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. Under his stewardship, the region has seen unprecedented development, along with lasting peace and stability,” Sarma said in a statement. He credited Ronghang for turning Diphu into one of the state's most developed district headquarters.

The Chief Minister went on to claim that Gogoi’s remarks were not just political criticism but part of a broader agenda.

“We are committed to protecting Assam’s tribal community, particularly from those feudal, vested interest groups and Pakistani puppets (in short CONG), who cannot digest the progress in our tribal regions since 2014,” he said.

Sarma alleged that areas like Karbi Anglong were deliberately kept underdeveloped during Congress rule and that the party is now uncomfortable with the visible changes under the BJP-led government.

He also suggested that Gogoi’s statements reflected the interests of “hostile forces like Pakistan,” hinting at external influence in domestic political narratives.