Kharge, Himanta clash over corruption allegations amid Khera probe row

A bitter verbal spat broke out between Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday (April 7), with the two trading jibes over corruption, age and mental stability.

The war of words between the two leaders came at a time when the Congress and the BJP have locked horns over an Assam Police team arriving at Congress leader Pawan Khera’s Delhi residence for questioning in relation to a case linked to allegations made against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his family earlier in the day.

Kharge calls Sarma ‘most corrupt’

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Kharge dubbed Sarma as the "most corrupt" in India and sought comments from RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on this.

Also Read: Assam Police reach Congress leader Pawan Khera’s Delhi residence for questioning

"No CM in India is so egoistic and arrogant, like him. Himanta Biswa Sarma is working only for his family's development. He is running syndicates in everything -- tea, school, coal, egg, land and areca nut," said Kharge.

The Congress president further alleged that Sarma's every cabinet colleague is "corrupt" and "all of them own thousands of crores of properties".

Seeks response from Centre, RSS

"I seek comments from Mohan Bhagwat on the corruption charges against the Assam CM. I requested the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to give their reactions to their adopted son, Himanta. Why is there no enquiry, whereas you had said 'Na khaunga na khane doonga'," he added.

Kharge also drew attention to Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi's assets and sought to compare them with those of Sarma.

On Khera’s allegations

Asked about Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera's allegations of Sarma's wife possessing three foreign passports and owning assets abroad, Kharge said all agencies are under the central government, which should probe the charges.

Also Read: Cong alleges hidden assets, passports of Himanta’s wife; he threatens legal action

"They have already filed an FIR against Khera. Let them probe the matter. We will face the case as it progresses. We have sought probes by ED or CBI into the allegations," he added.

Sarma’s ‘madman’ jibe at Kharge

Sarma hit back, stating that Kharge was “speaking like a madman” due to old age, after the latter put the onus on central agencies to probe the charges.

The CM asserted that Khera had “run away” to Hyderabad, but the Assam Police will “hunt him down even from ‘pataal’ (netherworld)”.

Also Read: Himanta Biswa Sarma alleges Pak link to Congress press briefings ahead of Assam polls

“‘Assam Police ko nahi jante hain.. Pataal se bhi ukhar ke le ayega’ (They don’t know the Assam Police... they will hunt him down even from the netherworld),” asserted Sarma.

“If they didn’t know the truth, why did they put it out in public? They should have asked the foreign minister first,” Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of an election campaign in Sivasagar, when asked for his reaction to Kharge’s assertion that the Union government should probe the allegations now.

(With agency inputs)