Himanta Biswa Sarma Denies Allegations of Government Funds for Wife's Firm

GUWAHATI: In a recent political controversy, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has firmly denied allegations made by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, who claimed that Sarma's wife's firm, Private East Entertainments Private Limited, received Rs 10 crore as part of a credit-linked subsidy from the Central government. The allegations and counterclaims have sparked a heated debate in the political landscape.

Gogoi initially shared a document from the Ministry of Food Processing, suggesting that Himanta Biswa Sarma had used his influence to secure financial benefits for his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma's company, under the Kisan Sampada scheme. The scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed to double the income of Indian farmers. Gogoi's tweet questioned whether government schemes were being exploited for the enrichment of the BJP.

"PM Modi launched the Kisan Sampada scheme to double the income of farmers of India. But Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma used his influence to help his wife’s firm get Rs 10 crore as part of a credit-linked subsidy. Are Central government schemes meant to enrich BJP?" tweeted Gogoi.

According to Gogoi, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma's Pride East Entertainment Private Limited was registered as one of the agro-processing cluster projects under the government initiative. Notably, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma serves as the Chairperson and Managing Director of the firm. Moreover, there were reports of her acquiring 50 bigha of agricultural land in Nagaon district, Assam, after her husband, Himanta Biswa Sarma, assumed the position of Chief Minister.

However, Himanta Biswa Sarma promptly refuted Gogoi's claims, asserting that neither his wife nor her company had ever received any financial subsidies from the Government of India. This statement was shared by Sarma on his social media platform, formerly known as Twitter.

"I would like to clarify that neither my wife nor the company she is associated with has ever received any financial subsidies from the Government of India," Sarma wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

As the political debate raged on, Gogoi continued to stand by his allegations, emphasizing that the Ministry of Food Processing's website clearly listed Riniki Bhuyan Sharma's name and her association with the company. He further claimed that the Rs 10 crore government grant had been approved for her company, and he challenged anyone to report to the Union Minister if there were any discrepancies on the ministry's website.

In response, Himanta Biswa Sarma remained resolute, reiterating that his wife and her company had never received funds from the central government. The back-and-forth between the Congress MP and the Assam Chief Minister has highlighted the tense political climate surrounding government initiatives and allegations of favoritism or misuse of influence.

This controversy underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in government schemes and projects. It also serves as a reminder of the scrutiny that political figures and their families face in matters related to government funding and subsidies. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether any conclusive evidence will emerge to either support or refute the allegations made against Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife's company.

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