‘CM’s Cinema Has Flopped’: Gaurav Gogoi Targets Assam CM Amid ‘Bor Axom’ Row

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday said that Rejaul Karim Sarkar has already apologised to the government over his controversial remarks and has been advised to exercise caution while addressing public meetings in the future.

Gogoi said that while Sarkar was attempting to speak about the idea of “Bor Axom,” his comments ended up hurting public sentiment and triggering widespread resentment. He stressed that Sarkar must remain careful with his words going forward.

Launching a sharp attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his repeated claims that details of the alleged links between Gaurav Gogoi and Pakistan would be made public before the end of January, Gogoi said the Chief Minister’s “cinema” has flopped. He alleged that the Chief Minister first claimed he would reveal the details in September and then took several more months to repeat the promise, which, Gogoi said, showed that the Chief Minister wanted to make the film a hit but failed.

Gogoi questioned why the Assam Chief Minister has now stopped speaking about the case involving Assam’s heartthrob and most celebrated cultural icon, Zubeen Garg. He pointed out that advocates involved in the case have expressed dissatisfaction with the chargesheet filed by the SIT, claiming it does not adequately serve the cause of justice for Zubeen Garg and could instead pave the way for accused persons such as Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddharth Sharma to secure bail.

Gogoi further raised questions over the status of several other SIT investigations, seeking clarity on what had happened to the SIT report in the case of noted police officer Junmoni Rabha. He asked whether Junmoni Rabha’s mother has received justice and questioned why Chief Minister Sarma has remained silent on the matter.

He also criticised the Chief Minister for his silence on the Umrangso coal mine tragedy, despite the formation of an SIT to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of several coal miners, demanding answers on the progress and findings of the probe.

Responding to allegations that the Congress harbours sympathy for “Miya,” Gogoi asserted that the Congress is a party that firmly believes in and upholds the idea of “Bor Axom.” He alleged that the Chief Minister was more focused on increasing profits for his family’s private companies and facilitating land allotments to the Adani Group, instead of addressing the core concerns of the people.

It may be mentioned that the political controversy erupted after former AAMSU president and current Congress leader Rejaul Karim Sarkar’s remarks were allegedly interpreted as suggesting that “Sivasagar and Tinsukia would be made like Dhubri,” triggering sharp political reactions across Assam.

Clarifying his position, Sarkar said his remarks were centred on unity, harmony, coordination, and development, with a vision of building a “Greater Assam (Bor Axom),” and were never intended to create or promote any regional or communal divide.

“I spoke about unity, coordination, development and the vision of a greater Assam. However, a section has deliberately twisted my statement with vested interests. If anyone has been hurt by my words, I apologise and withdraw those lines,” Sarkar said.

Rejecting claims that his remarks were aimed at pitching Upper Assam against Lower Assam, Sarkar described such interpretations as misleading and politically motivated. He maintained that his comments were directed at criticising what he termed the BJP government’s politics of division.

“I spoke about overcoming divisive politics and building a greater Assam based on development, unity, harmony, and coordination—connecting Upper Assam with Lower Assam, linking the Barak and Brahmaputra valleys, and uniting Sadiya to Dhubri,” Sarkar said.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday launched a sharp counterattack, asking, “Was Sivasagar built by Rejaul Karim Sarkar’s father?” He further asserted that Assam does not require a Bangladesh-origin Rejaul Karim Sarkar to build a “Greater Assam.”

Also Read: Row Over Sarkar’s Comments: Congress Leader Clarifies, Calls Allegations Misleading