‘Never Again’: Congress Shuts Door on Himanta Biswa Sarma

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Saturday held a massive public rally at Hatikholia Ground in Moranjana near Rangia, drawing a crowd of nearly 20,000 people.

Addressing the gathering, APCC President Gaurav Gogoi launched an all-out attack on the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government, branding it a regime of “vote thieves, land thieves, cattle thieves and water thieves.”

Setting the political tone for the coming months, Gogoi said the central question before the people of Assam today was simple yet decisive: “Who is Himanta Biswa Sarma?” He told party workers that their responsibility begins from now, as people across the state are looking towards the Congress to directly reach out to them.

Emphasising grassroots mobilisation, Gogoi called for the immediate formation of small outreach teams involving youth and women. “Youth groups must speak to the youth, women’s groups must speak to women. They must go door to door and explain the present situation to the people,” he said. These teams, he added, must engage with all communities, stressing that the party’s work would remain incomplete unless such direct contact was established. From the rally itself, Gogoi instructed MLAs, senior leaders and representatives of various communities to begin forming these groups without delay.

Taking direct aim at the Chief Minister, Gogoi said the true face of Himanta Biswa Sarma must be exposed before the people of Assam. He claimed there was growing unrest within the BJP over the question repeatedly raised at Congress meetings—“Who is Himanta Biswa Sarma?” Drawing a political parallel, Gogoi recalled how former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi once asked, “Who is Ajmal?” and said today the people must ask the same question of Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Describing Sarma as politically unstable, Gogoi said that despite projecting himself as a strong leader, the Chief Minister has consistently switched loyalties. “He started with AASU, jumped to Congress when AASU faced trouble, and jumped to the BJP when Congress was in difficulty. When the BJP government falls, he will again want to return to Congress,” Gogoi said. Addressing party workers directly, he asked whether Himanta should ever be taken back. When the crowd responded with a resounding “No,” Gogoi declared that from this very rally, it stood decided that Himanta Biswa Sarma would never be allowed back into the Congress.

Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Gogoi said Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that once a Congress government is formed, Himanta Biswa Sarma will have to go to jail for his sins, injustice, arrogance and corrupt governance. “Even if he goes to Rahul Gandhi seeking forgiveness, we must not allow him to return to the Congress,” Gogoi asserted.

Describing the chief minister a habituated liar, Gogoi said, "This is a state that has seen legendary leadership, leadership of the calibre of Gopinath Bordoloi, Bimala Prasad Chaliha, Bishnu Ram Medhi, but it is the first, I should say, that has seen a chief minister who is a liar of the first kind, a habituated liar." He went on to say that though Sarma had earlier heavily criticised the Tarun Gogoi government that took loans of Rs 10,000 crores, today the state is burdened by a debt of Rs 1.

While on economic and infrastructural matters, Gogoi claimed that land has been given to corporates such as Adani and Ambani at giveaway rates, but the common man is being squeezed through toll gates.

He said highways across Assam are in pathetic condition, riddled with massive potholes that make even moderate driving unsafe, yet toll gates have mushroomed everywhere, harassing ordinary citizens.

Accusing the BJP of exploiting religion for political gain, Gogoi said Himanta Biswa Sarma practices politics in the name of Hinduism while appointing individuals allegedly linked to cattle syndicates as ministers. He referred to alleged scams involving cattle, coal, sand and stone, claiming that the key to all these syndicates lies in Dispur and the Chief Minister’s residence.

Raising land-related allegations, Gogoi said that while ordinary citizens struggle to obtain land under government schemes, BJP leaders are competing with one another over land ownership. “There is now a competition between ‘Mami’ and Ashok Singhal over who owns more land. From what I understand, Ashok Singhal seems to be slightly ahead,” he remarked. He alleged that large-scale land brokerage is being carried out by BJP leaders and claimed that the biggest land broker in Assam today is sitting in Dispur.

Gogoi further alleged that in Amingaon, highways were diverted arbitrarily to increase the value of land belonging to the Chief Minister, making land unaffordable for common people in North Guwahati. He warned that if the BJP returns to power, land will neither remain with the people nor the state, but will be transferred to corporates and BJP leaders.

Citing another allegation, Gogoi said that in Dhekiajuli, land belonging to a women’s association has been occupied by the wife of a minister. He claimed that the BJP is panicking as these truths are gradually coming out. “That is why they are holding Zoom meetings and issuing instructions on how to cut indigenous votes,” he said, alleging manipulation of voter rolls and misuse of government offices.

Reflecting on his political journey since 2011, Gogoi said that despite repeated warnings about corruption, Tarun Gogoi treated Himanta Biswa Sarma like a guardian and tried to reform him. “But Himanta stabbed his political guru, the architect of modern Assam, in the back,” he said.

Gogoi remembered how Tarun Gogoi had once told Sarbananda Sonowal, “The same person will one day turn against you too, when my son Tarun is no more.”

He also claimed that Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the BJP after seeking the blessings of Siddhartha Bhattacharya, but actually planned to supplant him within the BJP.

Claiming that public perception in favor of Congress is increasing, Gogoi declared that “now hundreds of people are visiting Rajiv Bhavan daily with a request for providing them Congress tickets.” “People want Congress government. We don’t do what BJP does – pay people to attend our meetings or threaten them with withdrawal of welfare schemes if they don’t attend,” Gogoi stated.
   “BJP gives welfare schemes only in hand of Congress supporting people.” “BJP threatens ladies if they don’t attend meetings.”

Assuring people that if Congress forms its government, all its schemes will run uninterrupted without any corruption in its administration, Gogoi said, “There will be no scams in the name of schemes, and no MLA will be allowed to take money.

Only the poor will benefit,” he said. He also alleged misuse of public funds through advertisements given to a television channel owned in the name of the Chief Minister’s wife and promised a comprehensive audit once Congress returns to power.

Calling for unity to protect land and identity, Gogoi said land grabbed illegally would be recovered and redistributed among the people.

Addressing the rally, newly appointed APCC observer and former Jharkhand minister Bandhu Tirkey described Assam as being under a corrupt government and urged the public to support Congress to bring change.

Manoj Chauhan, who is the Secretary of AICC and the Co-Incharge of APCC, accused Himanta Biswa Sarma to be deeply involved with various syndicates in the region. He appealed to the voters to “defeat the corrupt regime.”

Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi, Opposition Leader Debabrata Saikia, Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain, and former Congress Pradesh Congress Committee President Ripun Bora spoke in the rally, heavily criticizing the BJP, stating with certainty that they will come to power in Assam with Congress government formation.

The Rally witnessed the attendance of Meghalaya MP Saleng A. Sangma, MLAs Rekibuddin Ahmed, & Shivamani Bora, APCC Working President & MLA Zakir Hussain Sikdar, Mahila Congress President Mira Borthakur, among a host of District Congress Committee Presidents.

Also Read: Congress Warns of Statewide Agitation Over ‘SR Manipulation’, Alleges BJP-Election Commission Nexus in Assam