GUWAHATI: Just a day after sharing a document on social media that enlists Riniki Bhuyan Sarma’s (wife of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma) Pride East Entertainment Private Limited as one of the agro-processing cluster projects under APC Scheme, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Thursday (September 14) shared another document in relation to the matter.
Congress MP from Assam – Gaurav Gogoi – on Thursday (September 14), shared a reply from union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament to a starred question that dates back to March this year.
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As per the statistics provided by union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament, Pride East Entertainment Private Limited, of which Riniki Bhuyan Sarma (wife of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma) is the chairperson and managing director (CMD), was “approved grant-in-aid” of Rs 10 crore for a food processing project under the PMKSY scheme of the central government.
Notably, Guwahati-based Pride East Entertainments Private Limited is a media company that has several satellite television channels, magazine and newspaper under its wing.
Sharing the reply of union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal to a starred question, Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said: “The whole day yesterday Himanta Biswa Sarma parroted one line regarding his wife’s firm. For his benefit I am stating the reply of union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament.”
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“Piyush Goyal’s reply has exposed the truth and both ministers need to clarify,” the Congress MP from Assam stated.
To this charge, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma replied: “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.”
Responding to this reaction from the Assam chief minister, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi questioned: “Is Hon’ble Chief Minister complaining to Union Minister Piyush Goyal? He is saying that Piyush Goyal has only approved the grant to the wife of Himanta Biswa Sarma but has not released the funds. How many more BJP politicians have used the PMKSY scheme to enrich their families?”
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma responded: “Yes, all family members of BJP politicians have the right to run their own companies and seek government subsidies if they are entitled to them. This is true for everyone. However, I would like to clarify that in this particular case, my wife has not even claimed the subsidy.”