Congress claims firm of Assam CM's wife received Central subsidy; Himanta Biswa Sarma denies charge

Riniki Bhuyan Sharma's company received a substantial subsidy of Rs 10 crore under the 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana' scheme from the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India. This subsidy came swiftly after the change in land categorization, raising questions about the potential misuse of government funds.

Guwahati: In a fiery exchange on social media, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi have engaged in a heated X battle over allegations of a Rs 10 crore subsidy granted to the CM's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma. The controversy centres around the acquisition of agricultural land and its subsequent categorization as industrial land.

Riniki Bhuyan Sharma reportedly purchased over 50 bighas of agricultural land in the Nagaon district. The same land, on the same day, was also acquired by the company 'Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd,' owned by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma. Furthermore, the agricultural land was converted into industrial land within a mere 10 months, leading to suspicions of impropriety.

Riniki Bhuyan Sharma's company received a substantial subsidy of Rs 10 crore under the 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana' scheme from the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India. This subsidy came swiftly after the change in land categorization, raising questions about the potential misuse of government funds.

While these allegations have been reported in the media, they have also become the focal point of discussions on social media. Various political parties and organizations have weighed in on the matter, intensifying the public debate.

Meanwhile, MP Gaurav Gogoi took to Facebook to share a photo featuring Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gogoi's caption read, "Adarnya Pradhan Mantri Modi, your government has given Rs 10 crore subsidy to a private company run by the wife of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa. Is this revdi or rabri? Is this why people are paying taxes?" He also attached a list of subsidy recipients to his post.

Responding to Gogoi's allegations, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to X, stating, "I would like to clarify that neither my wife nor the company she is associated with has ever received any financial subsidies from the Government of India."

In a counter-reply, MP Gaurav Gogoi shared a link to the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India's website, where the names of the company and its promoters, including Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, were reportedly mentioned. Gogoi urged the Chief Minister to investigate serial no. 10 on the list.

In a subsequent post on X, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated, "I would like to reiterate again with full responsibility that my wife and the company she is associated with have not taken or received any subsidies from the Government of India."

Gaurav Gogoi responded by stating, "The Ministry of Food Processing website clearly shows the name of the person and the company she is associated with. The Rs 10 crore government grant has also been approved. Please report to the Union Minister if their website has been hacked."

As the war of words escalates on X, the controversy surrounding the alleged subsidy and land acquisition continues to captivate public attention, with both sides standing firm on their positions.