Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Chairperson and Managing Director of Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. which has found itself embroiled in a major controversy, came out and said on Thursday that she is pondering legal action against Member of Parliament (MP) from the state's Kaliabor constituency and Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi.
Taking to social media platform X, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma to release a statement in which she said that she has been left with no option but to file a defamation case with Rs 10 crore in damages against Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, terming the matter "an attack to malign and defame a 17-year old Assamese enterprise, which has adhered to every aspect of the law, headed by a woman entrepreneur".
This comes after the Congress leader got into a war of words with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma over the matter after he highlighted the name of Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. in a list of beneficiaries of the Centre's Pradhanmantri Kisan Sampada Yojana to receive a grant of Rs 10 crores.
In the message shared on X, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma wrote, "Pride East Entertainment 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 & successful business track record, Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. – like any other qualifying enterprise – is eligible to participate in government supported programs/incentive schemes."
The video message read, "However, in the present case, pertaining to the PM Kisan Sampada Scheme, Pride East Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. has neither claimed or received a single paisa of government subsidy, despite meeting all the eligibility criteria."
"This is 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 woman entrepreneur. To protect this reputation of our hardworking employees from this slanderous campaign of Sri Gaurav Gogoi – Hon’ble 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," it further mentioned.
Earlier in the day, the Assam Chief Minister went as far as saying that he would retire from public life if the allegations stand proven.
He wrote on X in response to Gaurav Gogoi, "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 anyone can provide evidence to the contrary, I am willing to accept any punishment including retirement from public life."
After the allegations surfaced, CM Sarma had clarified his stance on the matter on Wednesday. In his clarification, CM Sarma straight out denied the claims made by Gogoi that he made on X.
The chief minister replied to Gogoi’s post, saying, “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.”
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi had taken to the social media platform and accused the chief minister of using “his influence to help his wife’s firm get Rs 10 crore as part of credit linked subsidy.”
In his post, Gogoi quizzed the CM, asking if the Central government schemes are meant to “enrich the BJP”?
Sharing an image of the scheme’s beneficiaries list as claimed by Gogoi, he wrote, “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?”
Upping the ante, Gaurav Gogoi cited the Ministry of Food Processing website for the information above. He further wrote, "The Ministry of Food Processing website clearly shows the name of the person and the company she is associated with. The Rs 10 crore government grant has also been approved. Please report to the Union Minister if their website has been hacked."
CM Sarma was quick to respond where he reiterated his stance, saying, "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."
The Congress MP also shared a link of the website in his next post. He wrote, "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. mofpi.gov.in/sites/default/files/details_of_70_agro_processing_cluster_projects_2.pdf"
The PM Krishi Sampada scheme is an all-inclusive package to give a renewed thrust to the food processing sector in India. The scheme is launched to benefit the farmers by increasing their income, generate employment opportunities, stimulating the export of processed food and reduce food wastage.
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