Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has initiated civil and criminal defamation proceedings against several senior Congress leaders, accusing them of making false, malicious and defamatory statements against him during a press conference earlier this month.
In a post on X at 5:55 pm on February 4, 2026, Sarma announced that he would move the court on February 9 against Congress leaders Jitendra Singh Alwar, Bhupesh Baghel, Assam Congress president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, and Debabrata Saikia. He alleged that the statements made against him were part of a coordinated political attack and asserted that he would no longer tolerate what he described as “hit-and-run politics.”
“The era of hit-and-run politics is over,” Sarma wrote, challenging the Congress leaders to substantiate every allegation before a court of law. He further stated that he would not be intimidated by what he termed propaganda, organised slander or political theatrics.
Reiterating his stand on Tuesday, the Chief Minister posted again on X, confirming that he has formally filed a defamation case seeking ₹500 crore in damages. The case names Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi, accusing them of levelling unsubstantiated and damaging allegations through a press conference.
According to Sarma, the legal action aims to hold political opponents accountable for public statements that, he claims, have harmed his reputation. He maintained that the matter should now be settled through judicial scrutiny rather than political rhetoric.
The Congress leadership has yet to issue an official response to the filing of the defamation case. Political observers see the development as a significant escalation in the ongoing war of words between the ruling BJP and the Congress in Assam, with the dispute now moving firmly into the legal domain.
