Assam CM's wife to file defamation suit against Cong MP for claiming her firm got central subsidy

Gogoi on Wednesday alleged that the company of the chief ministers wife got a credit subsidy of Rs 10 crore from the central government under a scheme.In reaction to the development, the Congress stated that this lawsuit should be filed against the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal as his reply in Parliament has exposed the truth.Bhuyan Sarma, in a statement, alleged that Gogoi has attacked a 17-year-old Assamese enterprise, headed by a woman entrepreneur, with the intention to malign and defame the company which has adhered to every aspect of the law.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma on Wednesday said that she will file a defamation suit of Rs 10 crore against Congress Deputy leader in Lok sabha Gaurav Gogoi for his alleged 'slanderous campaign' against the company with which she is associated. Gogoi on Wednesday alleged that the company of the chief minister's wife got a credit subsidy of Rs 10 crore from the central government under a scheme.

In reaction to the development, the Congress stated that this lawsuit should be filed against the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal as his reply in Parliament has “exposed the truth”.

Bhuyan Sarma, in a statement, alleged that Gogoi has attacked a 17-year-old Assamese enterprise, headed by a woman entrepreneur, with the intention to malign and defame the company which has adhered to every aspect of the law. ''To protect the reputation of our hardworking employees from this slanderous campaign by MP Gaurav Gogoi, I am thereby constrained to file a case of defamation with Rs 10 crore damages against him in the court of law,'' she said.

Bhuyan Sarma, the Chairperson cum Managing Director of Pride East Entertainment Private Limited, said that in the present case, pertaining to the PMKSY scheme, the company has neither claimed nor received a single paisa of government subsidy, despite meeting all eligibility criteria. ''With a long and successful business track record, Pride East Entertainments Private Limited, like any other qualifying enterprise, is eligible to participate in government supported programs/incentive schemes'', she said. The company is an independent entity in existence since 2006 with business interests in varied sectors, she said. ''It is a law-abiding company with all its financial records in the public domain'', Bhuyan Sarma added. On Wednesday, Gogoi had posted on X that the website of the Ministry of Food Processing shows that Pride East Entertainments Private Limited had received Rs 10 crore as part of credit linked subsidy. The PM Kisan Sampada Yojana is a comprehensive package which aims to create modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management.

The chief minister has repeatedly asserted that his wife and the company she is associated with have not received any subsidy from the central government.

Sarma also shared his wife's statement on the micro-blogging site 'X'. The Assam Congress, replying to the post, said it ''seems your lawsuit for defamation should be filed against the Hon'ble minister@Piyush Goyalji, isn't it? BTW, do you mean the attached information is false?'' The party shared purported photographs of two documents showing the reply in Lok Sabha of Goyal who had responded to a question in the Lok Sabha by Assam BJP MP Pallab Lochan Das on March 22, 2023.

The Union minister's response to the question also included an annexure in which Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and 'Pride East Entertainment Private Limited' are mentioned. Gogoi had earlier in the day said on X: “I am stating that the reply of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament has exposed the truth...” During their war of words on X earlier in the day, Sarma said he would decide whether to go to the assembly or a court of law against Gogoi.

In reply, the Congress MP said, “I will be happy if you move court, then at least all the documents will be made public''.