Rahul Gandhi backs Pawan Khera amid row over allegations against Assam CM’s wife

Indian National Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on April 13, asserted that the party stands firmly with senior Congress leader Pawan Khera amid the controversy surrounding allegations made against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma.

 

In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi described Sarma as the “most corrupt” Chief Minister in the country and called for a thorough investigation into the allegations raised by the Congress.

 

“The present CM of Assam is the most corrupt in the country. He will not escape the law. His abuse of state power to harass his political opponents and critics is against the Constitution. The questions that are being raised have to be probed. Transparency, accountability of power and the rule of law are the basis of our Constitutional values. The Congress Party stands with Pawan Khera. We will not be intimidated,” Gandhi wrote.

 

The remarks come in the wake of legal proceedings involving Khera. The Assam Police has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Telangana High Court’s decision to grant him transit anticipatory bail for a period of one week from April 10, subject to certain conditions. As per the bail order, Khera has been directed to approach the competent jurisdictional court in Assam to seek appropriate relief in accordance with the law.

 

Pawan Khera, who serves as the Chairperson of the Congress’ Media and Publicity Department, had alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma possessed three passports and that she, along with the Chief Minister and their son, owned a business in the United States valued at approximately Rs 52,000 crore. Himanta Biswa Sarma has categorically denied these allegations.

 

Following the claims, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against Khera, after which Assam Police conducted searches at his residence as part of the investigation.

 

Earlier, on April 10, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi also criticised the Chief Minister, alleging that Sarma was in a “panic mode” and reacting out of “desperation.”

 

Speaking to ANI, Gogoi said, “I think CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has totally panicked. He has gone into panic mode. He didn't expect that reports would become so viral. So, in the last 5-6 days, he has been literally tearing his hair out. His desperation can be seen in his words, actions, and on his face. I would just like to say that just by shouting, truth does not become a lie; just by showcasing that you have the power to investigate doesn't mean that fact becomes fiction.”

 

The political row has intensified tensions between the ruling BJP in Assam and the opposition Congress, with both sides trading sharp allegations while the matter remains under legal scrutiny.