First forged letter, now ‘Secretary of Waterways Minister Assam’: Banner blunder puts Sarbananda Sonowal in spotlight

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has found himself at the centre of twin controversies within a span of days, triggering public outrage, administrative embarrassment and widespread criticism on social media. 

 

The incidents, one involving a forged letter and another a glaring protocol lapse at a government event, have raised serious questions about misinformation, administrative diligence and respect for constitutional offices.

 

Earlier this week, the Union Minister’s office issued a clarification stating that a letter circulating in public bearing Sonowal’s purported signature and official letterhead was entirely forged. The office termed the document a malicious attempt to spread misinformation and deliberately tarnish the image of a senior constitutional authority.

 

An FIR has been lodged, and law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation to identify those responsible for the fabrication and circulation of the fake letter. The Minister’s office has urged the public and media to rely solely on verified and official sources for information.

 

The situation escalated further following a separate incident in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, where an official event witnessed an embarrassing misrepresentation of the Union Minister’s designation. During the inauguration of an Aadhaar Seva Kendra at the AMTRON office, a welcome banner inaccurately described Sarbananda Sonowal as “Secretary of Waterways Minister Assam”, a designation entirely unrelated to his current position as a Union Cabinet Minister.

 

Compounding the error, the banner also wrongly identified Assam Power Minister Prasanta Phukan as the “Electricity Minister of Assam,” and reportedly contained a misspelling of Sarbananda Sonowal’s name in Assamese.

 

Reacting strongly to the incident, Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation Mayor Dr Saikat Patra termed the lapse a serious blunder and demanded accountability.

 

“Yesterday in Dibrugarh, an Aadhaar Seva Kendra was inaugurated by State Power Minister Prasanta Phukan. However, a controversy erupted after a banner misrepresented Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as Secretary to the Waterways Minister Assam, while Minister Phukan’s portfolio was also wrongly mentioned. This is a major blunder. A probe should be initiated, and those responsible must be identified and punished,” Dr Patra said.

 

The incident has sparked sharp criticism from social media users, political observers and civil society, many of whom described the error as a serious administrative lapse and a mark of disrespect toward a senior Union Minister. Several users pointed out that such negligence undermines the dignity of constitutional offices and reflects poorly on government preparedness and protocol adherence.

 

“Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal should not have been disrespected in this manner,” several users remarked, demanding strict action against the organisers responsible for the lapse.

 

As of now, no official response has been issued by the event organisers explaining how such errors occurred at a government function.