Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has filed a lawsuit against Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi over his allegation of receiving undue favours from the central government. The allegations by MP Gaurav Gogoi, son of former CM Tarun Gogoi, that her business Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. received a sizeable subsidy of Rs 10 crore from the central government is at the heart of the defamation case.
According to her attorney, senior advocate Devajit Saikia, the case was filed on Friday at the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) of Kamrup Metropolitan, Guwahati is scheduled to hear the case on 26 September 2023.
The controversy erupted after a document from the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries appeared which showed that Pride East Entertainments was granted ₹10 crore to set up an agro-processing unit in the Nagaon district of Assam under the Agro Processing Cluster (APC) Scheme of the ministry. Pride East Entertainment runs several news and entertainment TV channels, including the Assamese news channel News Live and the English news channel North East Live. Riniki Bhuyan Sharma is the CMD of the company.
Gaurav Gogoi claimed that the Chief Minister had arranged a substantial Rs 10 crore subsidy for his wife’s enterprise through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana of the federal government which sparked an escalation in the conflict between the two. The latter responded that his wife had not benefited from any such subsidy and fiercely denied these accusations.
Gaurav Gogoi shared a screenshot of the document from the ministry in support of his accusations on 13 September. However, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and Himanta Biswa Sarma maintain that although the company was found eligible for the grant under the scheme, they never applied for the subsidy subsequently and therefore no govt subsidy has been taken by the company. But Gogoi continued to attack the CM and his wife over the issue, after which the CM’s wife filed the lawsuit against him.
The lawyer informed, “My client has claimed a defamation of Rs 10 crore against Gaurav Gogoi for various tweets on X. We have made it very clear that we never made any application to receive subsidy.” He explained that the application for a subsidy had not yet been started which led to a show-cause notice and an email from the Ministry of Food Processing were issued to his client’s company on 26 May of this year.
He highlighted, “The approval for the project was given on November 22, 2022. In the last email, we were told that our claim would lapse if we did not submit our proposal. We are not responding to anything to seek subsidy.”
Whatever the Congress leader wrote about Riniki Bhuyan Sharma and her company on social media was untrue, according to the counsel. He pointed out, “He did not do his homework. Getting approval for a project does not mean that a subsidy has been received. We will fight the case tooth and nail.”
As the Chief Managing Director (CMD) of her business, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma previously announced her intention to sue the Kaliabor MP and termed his comments a smear campaign intended to harm the reputation of an Assamese company run by a woman entrepreneur. She strongly refuted the accusations and emphasised that her company is just as eligible as any other qualifying business for government-sponsored programmes and incentive plans.
Pride East Entertainments Pvt Ltd asserted that despite meeting all eligibility requirements for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana, it has neither applied for nor received any government assistance.
Riniki Bhuyan Sharma’s response to the allegation
Riniki Bhuyan Sharma who is the chairperson and managing director of the company, countered the charges by announcing that she would initiate legal proceedings against the latter in the amount of Rs 10 crore. She referred to the accusations as a “slanderous campaign” against the business she is connected to in a public statement which emphasised that the Congressman attacked a 17-year-old Assamese company with the intention to disparage and discredit the firm which upheld all legal requirements.
The press release posted on 14 September stated, “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 and successful business track record, Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. like any other qualifying enterprise is eligible to participate in government-supported programmes or incentive schemes.”
It highlighted, “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 (coin) of government subsidy, despite meeting all the eligibility criteria.” The clarification noted that the charges are “nothing but an attack to malign and defame a 17-year-old Assamese enterprise, which has adhered to every aspect of the law, headed by a women entrepreneur.”
It further read, “To protect the reputation of our hard-working employees from this slanderous campaign of Shri Gaurav Gogoi, Honable Member of Parliament, I am thereby constrained to file a case of defamation with Rs 10 crore in damages against him in the court of law.”
My response towards the allegations raised against PrideEast entertainments Pvt Ltd pic.twitter.com/CQ9NkXlgNf
— RINIKI BHUYAN SHARMA (@rinikibsharma) September 14, 2023
Assam Chief Minister’s reply to the Congress MP
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Deputy Leader of the Indian National Congress in the Lok Sabha indulged in a raging war of words on corruption allegations against his spouse after her company’s name appeared in a central government list which showed that a grant of 10 crore was received by it under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana which was firmly declined by the CM.
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 https://t.co/oqGG21nEp6
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 13, 2023
The Bharatiya Janat Party stressed that no monetary aid was given to Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. by the central government when the Congressman voiced that “the Ministry of Food Processing website clearly shows the name of the person and the company she is associated with” and told him to “report to the Union Minister if their website has been hacked.”
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. https://t.co/PeDhTfrlZq
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 13, 2023
The Congress MP posted the link to the website of the Ministry of Food Processing and conveyed, “It shows the list of companies and promoters who have received the Rs 10 crore government subsidy. Please see serial 10,” after the claim of the money transaction was categorically opposed by the Assam CM.
For the convenience of the Hon’ble Chief Minister I am attaching the link to the website of the Ministry of Food Processing. It shows the list of companies and promoters who have received the Rs 10 crore government subsidy. Please see serial 10.https://t.co/rR2m9PH8DX https://t.co/O9krRaDSRW
— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) September 13, 2023
Afterwards, the Congress leader uploaded the document of a Lok Sabha reply of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and claimed, “Piyush Goyal’s reply has exposed the truth and both Ministers need to clarify.”
The whole day yesterday Himanta Biswa Sarma parroted one line regarding his wife’s firm. For his benefit I am stating the reply of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament. Piyush Goyal’s reply has exposed the truth and both Ministers need to clarify. https://t.co/JiSBuLHBw9 pic.twitter.com/5SOueOPb11
— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) September 14, 2023
Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated that no such financial assistance was provided to the business and affirmed, “The reply itself clarifies the fact that the Government of India has not released any funds to the mentioned company.” He announced, “If anyone can provide evidence to the contrary, I am willing to accept any punishment including retirement from public life.”
The reply itself clarifies the fact that the Government of India has not released any funds to the mentioned company. I want to emphasize once again that neither my wife nor the company she is associated with has received or claimed any amount from the Government of India. If… https://t.co/70zQ1DGHTe
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 14, 2023
“Is the Hon’ble Chief Minister complaining to Union Minister Piyush Goyal,” the member of the Assam Congress questioned. “He is saying that Piyush Goyal has only approved the grant to the wife of Himanta Biswa Sarma but has not released the funds. How many more BJP politicians have used the PMKSY scheme to enrich their families,” he alleged.
Is Hon’ble Chief Minister complaining to Union Minister Piyush Goyal ? He is saying that Piyush Goyal has only approved the grant to the wife of Himanta Biswa Sarma but has not released the funds. How many more BJP politicians have used the PMKSY scheme to enrich their families? https://t.co/qO2dHcEqqs pic.twitter.com/lpOfhnEcEW
— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) September 14, 2023
Later the two leaders also dragged family history and other past events into their verbal spat. Afterwards, Gaurav Gogoi asked the chief minister to come to the state assembly and debate the issue to which the chief minister answered, “I spent 90 minutes in the Assam assembly today, where I introduced a bill and made a statement. No one raised anything about any issue concerning me. For your information.”
Raising that issue was indeed important.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 14, 2023
Anyway I spent 90 minutes in the Assam assembly today, where I introduced a bill and made a statement. No one raised anything about any issue concerning me . For your information https://t.co/aY4dpGXAYT
Himanta Biswa Sarma also stressed that as a legitimate business organisation, Pride East Entertainments has full rights to apply for and receive govt assistance for projects, and there would not have been any wrongdoing had the company received the grant. He also noted that almost all media companies in Assam run businesses in other sectors, which is a completely legal practice.
The background of the charge
The accusation was based on a news story which claimed that in February 2022, nine months after Himanta Biswa Sarma took office as chief minister, his wife’s company in which she owns the majority share bought approximately 10 acres of agricultural land in Kaliabor Mouza (which is located in Gaurav Gogoi’s constituency).
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’s wife. Is this revdi or rabri ? Is this why people are paying tax ? https://t.co/BzfgTXtn5N
— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) September 12, 2023
According to the report, Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. applied for a subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana to establish a food processing unit and the Union Food Processing Ministry approved a subsidy of Rs. 10 crore to the company on 10 November of last year. The agricultural plot was transformed into industrial land within months.
“PM (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi launched the Kisan Sampada Scheme to double the income of farmers in India. But in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma used his influence to help his wife’s firm get Rs.10 crore as part of credit credit-linked subsidy. Are central government schemes meant to enrich BJP,” Gaurav Gogoi alleged.
PM Modi launched the Kisan Sampada scheme to double the income of farmers of India. But in Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma used his influence to help his wife’s firm get Rs 10 crore as part of credit linked subsidy. Are Central government schemes meant to enrich BJP ? pic.twitter.com/ITqzrBCe4c
— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) September 13, 2023
Himanta Biswa Sarma vehemently objected to the accusations after the chairman of the Congress Media and Publicity Department and All India Congress Committee member Pawan Khera asked, “Why you still deny” and uploaded images of Riniki Bhuyan Sharma’s professional biography and the government list which had her and Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. name on it.
I completely deny and reiterate that my wife and the company she is associated with, Pride East Entertainment Pvt Limited, have not received any subsidies from the Government of India. https://t.co/VBDGOuX29q
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 13, 2023
“The Pride East Entertainments Private Limited, whose Chief Executive Officer is Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, advertises itself as the premier regional media organization uniting the entire northeast region. But a short while after the Assam Chief Minister took the oath of office, this corporation purchased 50 acres of farmland in Nagaon, Assam. This agricultural terrain quickly transforms into industrial land in a matter of days,” claimed Gourav Vallabh, the national spokesperson for the Congress in a press conference.
“Then, this company submits an application to the Government of India’s ‘Pradhanmantri Kisan Sampada Yojana’ stating that it will do the task of food processing. Furthermore, it receives a grant of Rs 10 crore for it. Is this the model to double farmers’ income, where the money allocated for a scheme dedicated to farmers was distributed as a grant to a company associated with Assam’s CM’s wife,” he asked.
Assam units of Congress and All India Trinamool Congress maintained the allegations against Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, however, didn’t bring forth any evidence to prove their point. The Assam Assembly was also adjourned multiple times on 15 September as the Opposition MLAs continued to grow ruckus on the issue.
Notably, The PM Kisan Sampada Yojana is a comprehensive package which aims to create modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.
