"These are legitimate questions...": Assam CM Sarma responds to Venugopal, defends remarks on Gaurav Gogoi

New Delhi [India], April 27 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday hit back at Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal following criticism over the remarks made on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi.
In a series of posts on X, CM Sarma defended his remarks on the Gogoi and said his comments were not "rhetoric" but a "factual assertion" made after a thorough investigation. Chief minister made these remarks after Venugopal emphasised the need for unity against Pakistan, accusing the CM of using the "Pakistan bogie" against Gogoi to weaken national resolve and dodge accountability.
"No SiR . Once again, I would like to state with complete responsibility and full sense of authority that every word I have said is based entirely on verifiable facts and 100% authentic information. This is not rhetoric. It is a factual assertion made after due diligence and careful investigation," CM Sarma wrote on X post.
Sarma further pointed out the questions raised were "legitimate" and in the public interest, backed by facts and documents.
"These are legitimate questions arising out of facts in the public interest. There are many more questions that will be raised in due course. Our investigation is ongoing, and it is being conducted responsibly, based purely on facts and documents. It has absolutely nothing to do with any below-the-belt political statements or personal attacks," he added on X post.
Earlier today, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal strongly criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his remarks targeting Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi.
In a post on X, Venugopal termed the remarks "baseless attacks" on Gogoi's family, accusing the CM of questioning their loyalty to divert attention from corruption allegations against him.
"The Assam CM's pathetic, below-the-belt comments about Sh. Gaurav Gogoi prove that he is unfit to be in public life. He is making totally baseless attacks on Gaurav Gogoi's family, questioning their loyalty and diverting attention from the scathing corruption allegations that he must answer," Venugopal wrote on X.
Venugopal hailed Gogoi as an "honest leader" confronting a "police state" and affirmed Congress's unwavering support for him.
"Today, against Pakistan, unity is the need of the hour. By frivolously using the Pakistan bogie against an upright public figure like Gogoi, who has been at the forefront of the attack against the CM, he is only emboldening our rivals as well as confirming that he has no credible response to the mounting evidence of widespread corruption against him.Sh. Gaurav Gogoi is an honest leader who is taking on the might of a police state, we steadfastly stand by him," he added in X post.
The remarks by the Congress general secretary were made after a heated exchange unfolded on social media platform X between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, with both leaders trading pointed questions and allegations.
In a post on X, CM Sarma questioned Gogoi, asking if he had visited Pakistan for 15 consecutive days and to clarify the purpose of the visit.
Sarma further allegedly inquired whether Gogoi's wife receives a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while working in India, and sought details about the citizenship status of Gogoi's wife and two children.
Responding swiftly, Gogoi countered with his own set of questions for the Chief Minister. He asked if Sarma would resign should he fail to substantiate claims of Gogoi and his wife being agents of an enemy country. Gogoi also questioned whether Sarma would be open to scrutiny regarding his own wife and children. Additionally, he raised concerns about the alleged exploitation of Assam's hills by the coal mafia, which was amassing undeclared wealth, and pressed Sarma on whether the state police would arrest those involved. (ANI)