Guwahati — Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has launched a sharp criticism against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of making a derogatory and disgraceful remark against women during a recent political rally.
Gogoi demanded a public apology from the Chief Minister for what he termed as an unacceptable attack on the dignity of Assamese women.
Taking to social media platform X on Sunday night, Gogoi condemned Sarma’s comments, which allegedly implied that women in Assam “compromised” to secure government jobs during the Congress regime. The remarks were based on a witness statement cited from the Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma Commission report on the 2013–2014 Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) recruitment scam.
“The fact that the Chief Minister makes this statement at a political rally during the ongoing panchayat elections marks a new low for the political discourse in Assam,” Gogoi wrote. He emphasized the deep respect and empowerment Assamese women have traditionally held in society, citing their historic role from the freedom struggle to present-day achievements.
Calling Sarma’s words a serious affront to women’s dignity, the Congress leader asserted, “The Chief Minister should be mature enough to apologise.”
The controversy stems from remarks made by Sarma at an April 28 election rally, where he referenced a witness account from the commission report that alleged some women candidates “had to adopt a wrong path” to secure jobs during the previous Congress government’s tenure.
The Assam Congress has since lodged multiple police complaints against Sarma, accusing him of making defamatory and misogynistic statements. However, the police are yet to register a formal FIR, stating that investigations into the complaints are underway.
The political storm comes at a sensitive time during the ongoing panchayat elections, with opposition leaders accusing the BJP of targeting women and lowering the tone of public discourse for electoral gain.
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