Himanta Biswa’s wife’s 1st statement into Rs 10 crore subsidy from Centre charge

Denying allegations of receiving a subsidy of Rs 10 crore from the government, Assam Chief Minister Himata Biswa Sarma’s wife said she will file a defamation against Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi. Gogoi, who represents the Kaliabor constituency seat in Lok Sabha, has alleged the Assam CM’s wife received a Rs 10 crore subsidy under the PM Kisan Sampada Scheme for her entity.

Assam CM’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma issued a statement on Thursday stating her company PrideEast Entertainments Pvt Ltd. has adhered to the laws and received no penny from the Centre.

In her statement on X, formerly Twitter, the Assam chief minister’s wife vouched that her entity had been abiding by regulations and that all financial records were made available to the public.

Taking to X, Riniki wrote, “My response to allegations levelled against PrideEast Entertainments Pvt Ltd.”

“It is a law-abiding company with all its financial records in the public domain. With a long and successful business track record, PrideEast Entertainments Pvt Ltd., like any other qualifying enterprise, is eligible to participate in government-supported programs/incentive schemes. However, in the present case, pertaining to the PM Kisan Sampada Scheme, PrideEast Entertainments has neither claimed nor received a single paisa of government subsidy, despite meeting all 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 the reputation of our hardworking employees from this slanderous campaign of Sri Gaurav Gogoi, Member of Parliament,” Assam CM’s wife added.

“I am thereby constrained to file a case of defamation with Rs 10 crore in damages against him in the court of law,” she said.

Her statement came after Himanta Biswa on Wednesday said that he would retire from politics if it was proved that his spouse’s entity had received no sum from the government.

HIMANTA BISWA’s WIFE SUBSIDY ROW

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has alleged that Himanta’s wife’s firm Private East Entertainments Private Limited got Rs 10 crore as part of a credit-linked subsidy from the Centre. Gogoi shared a document from the Ministry of Food Processing, alleging that Himanta “used his influence” to help his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma’s firm.

Gogoi alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma’s Pride East Entertainment Private Limited was registered as one of the agro-processing cluster projects under the government scheme.

Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife is the Chairperson and Managing Director of the firm. She reportedly bought 50 bigha of agricultural land in Nagaon district of Assam after Himanta became the Chief Minister.

Refuting the charge, Rinika Sarma has now announced they will take legal action against the Congress MP.