Assam: Political attacks becoming personal, who will gain from the trend?

The political fight for Assam escalated sharply on Tuesday when an Assam Police team, accompanied by Delhi Police personnel, visited the residence of Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with a defamation case filed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma. The FIR stems from allegations by Khera that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma holds multiple passports — something prohibited under Indian law.

Khera was not present at his Delhi residence when the police arrived and the development triggered a fierce exchange between the two parties, with the BJP defending the police action as lawful and the Congress accusing the ruling party of misusing state machinery to intimidate Opposition leaders.

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Earlier, Himanta Biswa Sarma had made serious allegations against Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi — the wife of senior Congress Assam leader Gaurav Gogoi — claiming that she worked for “LEAD Pakistan” and allegedly received a salary through a Pakistani even after moving to India. He also accused her of sharing sensitive government reports and using “LEAD India” to bypass FCRA funding laws — the allegations that Gaurav Gogoi dismissed as “bogus” and “mindless”.

Observers say the turning of Assam elections into a personal battle is not accidental — rather it reflects how high the stakes there are. “Personal confrontations like this in politics usually create multiple layers of benefit, depending on the issue and its perspective. They are less about facts and more about controlling perception and narratives. Both sides try to extract political value, the larger cost often being a more polarised and less substantive public debate, they say.

Reacting to the police visit, Congress leaders accused the BJP of targeting Khera for raising questions. The party alleged that the move was aimed at silencing criticism of the Assam government.

Sarma said the law was taking its course.

“I have learned through the media that the police have gone to his residence in Delhi. He had left Guwahati yesterday,” he said. Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad defended the action, warning against making “fake allegations” that harm the reputation of individuals. “If you make allegations impinging upon the national credentials of a chief minister’s wife, be ready to face the consequences. The police are doing their job,” he said.

On the other hand, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh described the episode as evidence of a “disturbed, desperate, and rattled” chief minister. He called the police action a “witch-hunt” and accused the government of using intimidation to suppress opposition voices. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also backed Khera, claiming his allegations were supported by evidence and should be addressed rather than suppressed. She accused the Assam government of attempting to instill fear through aggressive tactics.