Assam CM's wife to file defamation case against Gaurav Gogoi for Rs 10 crore subsidy from govt charge

In her first statement after allegations were raised against her for receiving Rs 10 crore subsidy, Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife said her company did not receive a single penny from government. She said although her company met the eligibility criteria for receiving incentives, she did not get any money.

Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife Rinki Bhuyan Sharma on Thursday refuted allegations of having received a Rs 10 crore subsidy from the government and said that she will file a defamation against Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi.

Two days back, Gogoi had alleged on X that Sharma received a subsidy amounting to Rs 10 crore under the PM Kisan Sampada Scheme. Reacting to which, Sharma posted a text video on X claiming that her company Pride East Entertainments Pvt Ltd, which was set up in 2006 did not receive any money from the government. She said that the allegations are aimed at defaming an Assamese enterprise headed by a woman entrepreneur.

In the 1.30 minute video message she wrote, “Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd is an independent entity in existence since 2006 with business interests in varied sectors. It is a law abiding company with all its financial records in the public domain. With a long & successful business track record, Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd-like any other qualifying enterprise- is eligible to participate in government supported programs/incentive schemes".

Sharma stated that though her company is eligible to get incentives it has not received a single penny despite meeting the criteria. "However, in the present case, pertaining to the PM Kisan Sampada Scheme, Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd has neither claimed or received a single paisa of government subsidy, despite meeting all the eligibility criteria," her statement read.

The chief minister's wife said that in order to protect the reputation of the hardworking staff of the company she would have to file a Rs 10 crore defamation case against the Congress MP in court. "This is nothing but an attack to malign, and defame a 17-year old Assamese enterprise, which adhered to every aspect of the law, headed by a woman entrepreneur. To protect the reputation of our hardworking employees from this slanderous campaign of Sri Gaurav Gogoi-Hon'ble Member Of Parliament, I am thereby constrained to file a case of defamation, with Rs 10cr in damage against him in the court of law," her video text read.

Sharma's statement came soon after her husband promised to retire from politics if allegations against the former were proven true.