BJP hits back at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Assam CM, alleges 'vendetta politics'

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks targeting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of indulging in "vendetta politics" and attempting a "political assassination" using "fake documents".

The BJP's response came after Gandhi launched a strong attack on Sarma, calling him the "most corrupt", and accused him of misusing the state machinery.

Backing All India Congress Committee's (AICC) media and publicity department chairperson Pawan Khera, Gandhi on Monday said his party would "not be intimidated".

At a press conference on April 5, Khera had alleged that Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, held multiple passports and foreign assets that were not disclosed in the chief minister's election affidavit for the April 9 Assam Assembly polls.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the documents cited by Khera were "fabricated" and "sponsored" by Gandhi, accusing him of engaging in the politics of vendetta.

"So it is clear as daylight that the documents that were provided to Khera came not just from Islamabad, Pakistan. Those fake documents for the political assassination of Sarmaji's image and the image of his wife -- the daughter of Assam -- were actually provided and sponsored by Rahul Gandhi," Poonawalla said in a video posted on X.

"Vendetta is when you attempt a political assassination of Sarma using fake documents. Visas were shown as passports, that too photoshopped and forged, belonging to someone else, and a fake company was created. Instead of apologising to the people of Assam, Rahul Gandhi is trying to create a sense of victimhood. This victimhood card will not work," the BJP leader added.

He also accused Gandhi of harbouring a "vendetta mindset" against Assam, alleging that such politics is reflected in his past actions and statements.

"Vendetta is when you cut off Assam from the map of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Vendetta is when your family wanted to give up Assam in the Indo-China war. Rahul Gandhi, vendetta is when you keep Assam backward and think about infiltrators and not the Assamese people," he said.

Poonawalla also demanded that Gandhi "come clean" on allegations related to Assam Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi.

"It is now time for a report card on Gaurav Gogoi's Pakistani links, his family's alleged ISIS links. Come clean on that, Rahul Gandhi," he said.

In another post, Poonawalla alleged that a "political hit job" against Sarma and his family was orchestrated with inputs from the "enemies of Assam".

Earlier in the day, Gandhi said the Congress stands with Khera after the Assam government challenged the transit anticipatory bail granted to him in the Supreme Court.

On April 10, the Telangana High Court granted a one-week transit anticipatory bail to Khera, who had filed a plea for relief after the Assam Police visited his Delhi residence for questioning but did not find him there.

In a post on X, Gandhi alleged, "The present CM of Assam is the most corrupt in the country. He will not escape the law. His abuse of state power to harass his political opponents and critics is against the Constitution." "The questions that are being raised have to be probed. Transparency, accountability of power, and rule of law are the basis of our constitutional values. The Congress party stands with Pawan Khera. We will not be intimidated," the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said.