Assam CM’s wife threatens to sue Congress MP as subsidy row escalates 

The Chief Minister, too, has threatened legal action against Mr. Gogoi

GUWAHATI

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma has threatened Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi with a ₹10 crore defamation suit for claiming that a firm she is associated with was granted a Central subsidy of ₹10 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana.

The Chief Minister, too, has threatened legal action against Mr. Gogoi and said he was willing to retire from politics if anyone can prove his wife or the firm she is associated with received or claimed any amount from the Centre.

“…Pride East Entertainments Pvt Ltd is an independent entity in existence since 2006 with business interests in varied sectors. It is a law-abiding company with all its financial records in the public domain. With a long and successful business track record, Pride East Entertainments Pvt Ltd like any other qualifying enterprise is eligible to participate in government-supported programs/incentive schemes,” Ms. Bhuyan Sarma said in a statement. 

She asserted that the firm neither claimed nor received a single paisa of government subsidy under the PM Kisan Sampada Yojana “despite meeting all the eligibility criteria”.

“This is nothing but an attack to malign and defame a 17-year-old Assamese enterprise, which has adhered to every aspect of the law, headed by a woman entrepreneur,” she said.

“To protect the reputation of our hardworking employees from this slanderous campaign of Sri Gaurav Gogoi… I am thereby constrained to file a case of defamation with ₹10 crore in damages against him in the court of law,” her statement read.