By The political confrontation in Assam intensified on Tuesday after Assam Police conducted a search at Congress leader Pawan Khera’s residence in Delhi, following an FIR filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The move comes amid a heated controversy triggered by Khera’s allegations that Sarma’s wife held multiple passports, a claim that the BJP leadership has firmly denied.
The development has added a fresh layer of tension to the already charged political atmosphere in Assam, where elections are around the corner. With both the BJP and Congress trading accusations in public, the passport row has quickly turned into a major campaign issue, drawing attention to the use of legal action and political rhetoric in the final days of campaigning.
According to officials, the FIR was filed after Khera publicly alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma possessed passports from the UAE, Egypt, and India. The chief minister’s wife rejected the allegations and said legal action was necessary to protect her reputation, calling the claims baseless and politically motivated. She maintained that such accusations cannot be ignored and expressed confidence that the legal process would establish the truth.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also reacted strongly, stating that strict action would be taken against Khera and accusing the Congress of spreading misinformation for political gain. He questioned the source of documents cited by the opposition and alleged that some of the material was taken from online platforms without verification. Sarma further escalated the matter by claiming that the controversy involved questionable foreign links, a charge that added to the political heat surrounding the issue.
The Assam Police search in Delhi is seen as part of the investigation into the FIR, although Congress leaders have criticised the move, calling it an attempt to intimidate opposition voices ahead of the elections. The party has argued that raising questions about public figures should not lead to police action, and accused the BJP of misusing state machinery for political purposes.
The passport controversy has now become a central talking point in Assam’s election campaign, with both sides trying to frame the narrative to their advantage. The BJP has projected it as an example of Congress spreading false allegations, while the opposition has portrayed the police action as political pressure.
Assam is set to vote soon, and the escalating war of words suggests that the final phase of campaigning will remain intense and confrontational. As legal proceedings move forward and political statements continue, the passport row is likely to remain in focus until polling and possibly beyond.
