Guwahati, 06 April (HS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday intensified the political confrontation in the state, alleging that Congress leaders used fabricated documents to influence the ongoing election process and claimed a possible linkage with Pakistani media narratives.

Addressing a press conference at the state Congress headquarters, the Chief Minister alleged that Pawan Khera and Gaurav Gogoi held coordinated press briefings in Delhi and Guwahati based on what he termed as “fake materials.” He stated that presenting forged documents publicly could attract stringent legal provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to fraud and forgery.

The controversy follows allegations made by Pawan Khera a day earlier, claiming that the Chief Minister’s wife possessed passports of three countries and had links to a high-value company abroad. Sarma dismissed the allegations as “false and fabricated” and announced both civil and criminal action. He confirmed that an FIR has been registered and police have initiated an investigation.

Sarma further alleged that the issue becomes more serious due to what he described as external influence, accusing Gaurav Gogoi of amplifying such claims with alleged support from Pakistan. He termed the act as potentially falling under serious legal violations, adding that those found guilty could face severe punishment, including life imprisonment.

The Chief Minister also informed that his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has lodged a formal complaint regarding the matter. He expressed confidence that the investigation would trace the origin of the documents and verify their authenticity.

Raising another significant claim, Sarma said that in the past ten days, Pakistani television channels aired at least 11 discussions on the Assam elections—an “unusual trend,” according to him—alleging that these shows promoted a narrative favourable to Congress. He further claimed that content presented during Khera’s press conference had origins in a Pakistani social media ecosystem.

To demonstrate how digital misinformation can be created, Sarma said that Assam BJP had set up a dummy online entity named “GauravElizabeth786” to show how easily fake digital records or companies can be generated and made visible on public platforms. He argued that such tools could be misused to spread misleading information during elections.-----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash