Guwahati: Sujata Gurung Chowdhury, mother of an Assam Assembly election candidate Kunki Chowdhury, has approached the National Commission for Women (NCW), alleging that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made false and defamatory statements against her during an election campaign, triggering a wave of online harassment and abuse.
In a formal complaint submitted to the Commission, Chowdhury, a resident of Sarumotoria in Dispur, stated that she is a private individual with no direct involvement in politics.
She claimed she was drawn into public controversy only because her daughter, Kunki Chowdhury, is contesting the ongoing Assam Assembly elections from the Guwahati Central constituency.
Chowdhury alleged that during a public campaign event, Sarma accused her of hurting “Sanatani sentiments,” harbouring sympathies for Pakistan, supporting “anti-national” individuals, and publicly consuming beef.
She described the allegations as “completely false, baseless, and malicious,” and said they were intended to defame her and politically target her daughter.
Clarifying a photograph cited during the campaign, Chowdhury said the image in question was taken at the International Church of Cannabis in Denver, United States. According to her complaint, the object seen in the image was an artistic prop resembling a cannabis joint and not any form of food.
She asserted that claims of her consuming beef were “factually incorrect and deliberately misleading,” adding that she is a vegetarian.
The complainant further alleged that following the remarks, her personal photographs—including those featuring her minor son—were widely circulated on social media without consent.
She also accused unidentified individuals of spreading manipulated images and AI-generated content, leading to online abuse, harassment, and reputational damage.
Calling the developments a violation of her dignity, privacy, and safety, Chowdhury said the incidents have caused severe mental distress to her family, particularly her minor child.
In her plea, she has urged the NCW to take immediate cognisance of the matter, direct an investigation into the alleged defamatory statements and digital harassment, and ensure the removal of harmful and misleading content from social media platforms.
She has also sought legal action against those responsible and protection for her family’s privacy.