Congress MP and Deputy Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, strongly reacted to comments made by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Gogoi said that Chief Minister Sarma tries to act like a “king,” while the Congress believes in serving the people. Gogoi said, “CM Himanta Biswa Sarma calls himself a king, but we are servants of the people. He wants to silence voices; we want people to speak freely. He wants people to fear; we want them to live without fear.” He claimed that the government should listen to the public instead of trying to scare or attack those who speak against it.
The Congress leader also said that true leadership does not come from power or position, but from duty and service. He accused the Chief Minister of trying to divide and intimidate people who question the government.
This heated exchange came one day after Chief Minister Sarma accused Gogoi of being a “Pakistani agent planted by a foreign power.” The Chief Minister has been making these allegations often, claiming that he has evidence because Gogoi’s wife is from the United Kingdom. Sarma has repeated this claim many times, saying that Gogoi’s links with Pakistan are suspicious. However, he has not shown any public proof so far. 
Responding to these attacks, Gaurav Gogoi said that such statements show the Chief Minister’s fear of losing power and losing public trust. Gogoi said that the allegations are false, insulting, and politically motivated. He said the Chief Minister is trying to distract the people of Assam from real issues and create confusion before elections.
Gogoi also said that Sarma made these comments on the same day when people across Assam were remembering singer and actor Zubeen Garg, whose last movie Roi Roi Binale released on Friday. Gogoi posted on social media that while people were watching Zubeen Garg’s final performance with emotion, the Chief Minister was trying to spread fear instead of joining people in paying respect to the late artist. Gogoi said, “Yesterday, when the entire state was watching Zubeen Garg perform for the last time, the Chief Minister’s comments showed his growing fear of losing power.”
