NEW DELHI: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, saying the BJP leader should remember that his time in office is “limited.” Khera’s remarks came in response to the arrest of Assam Congress spokesperson Reetam Singh, which has ignited a fierce political slugfest.
‘Days are numbered’
Khera accused Sarma of political vendetta, claiming that the Assam CM is “scared” of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi. “This reminds us of how Congress leaders, myself included, have suffered at the hands of Assam police. The CM should not forget that his days as Chief Minister are numbered,” Khera said.
Drawing a sharp contrast, he declared, “Even 10,000 Himanta Biswas can’t scare one Gaurav Gogoi.”
War of words on X
The controversy erupted after Assam police arrested Congress spokesperson Reetam Singh in Guwahati over an alleged caste-based insult directed at a Dalit woman. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh condemned the arrest, calling it an “abuse of police powers,” while CM Sarma defended the action, hinting at an explosive revelation.
“Wait for the big revelation,” Sarma warned, claiming that a senior Congress leader—Gaurav Gogoi—had links to ISI and Pakistan.
Ramesh hit back, calling Sarma the “outgoing CM” and accusing him of weaponizing the police. “Stop diverting attention from the real issue—your misuse of police power to target opponents,” he wrote.
Congress defends foreign experts in Telangana’s caste survey
Meanwhile, Khera also defended the Telangana government’s decision to involve foreign experts in its caste survey. “We live in a global environment. Geographical boundaries shouldn’t matter when borrowing expertise,” he said, challenging the BJP to deny ever using foreign advisors during its three terms in power.
The BJP has criticized the move, questioning why international experts should be involved in a domestic policy decision.
As political tensions in Assam and Telangana escalate, the battle between Congress and BJP shows no signs of slowing down.