Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on May 2 rebutted Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's recent accusations of Mafia-Raj thriving under the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime in the northeastern state.
Responding to Gandhi's assertions made while campaigning in Assam's Dhubri constituency, Chief Minister Sarma stated the stark difference in the current state of affairs compared to the past. "Priyanka Gandhi has not seen Congress rule in Assam. What Mafia practice is in Assam today? There is nothing... No bomb blasts, no bullet firing, no ULFA," he said.
Sarma's remarks directly countered Gandhi's claims of various mafias operating freely in the state, including land mafias, supari mafias and coal mafias. He singled out Rakibul Hussain's alleged mafia practices, implicitly challenging Gandhi's assertions.
Moreover, Sarma highlighted Gandhi's omission of certain critical issues in her address. "She did not mention the murder of Rhinos... That is why the words of Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi do not work in Assam," he said.
Gandhi's accusations extended beyond alleged mafia activities to include accusations of corruption within the BJP government. She cited instances such as the PPE kit scam and cow smuggling, attributing them to the ruling party's negligence.
In a direct jab at Sarma, Gandhi accused him of switching parties to evade allegations of corruption, insinuating that the BJP provided a "washing machine" for tainted leaders. She further criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's involvement in the Karnataka politics alleging support for leaders entangled in scandals.
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