Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Friday launched a sharp attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his recent remarks on ‘Miya’ voters, calling them “shameless” and “dishonest” and accusing him of falsely invoking the authority of the Supreme Court.

Gogoi’s criticism came after Sarma claimed that four to five lakh ‘Miya’ votes would be removed from the electoral rolls during the special intensive revision ahead of the Assam Assembly elections due in April. The term ‘Miya’ is commonly used as a derogatory reference to Muslims perceived as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Gogoi alleges misuse of Supreme Court’s name

In a post on X, Gogoi accused Sarma of deliberately misrepresenting the Supreme Court’s observations to justify his remarks. He said the chief minister had claimed to rely on the “court’s own words” from a case involving former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

“This is a blatant lie,” Gogoi wrote, asserting that the court neither authored nor adopted the words being attributed to it. He alleged that presenting an executive report as a judicial pronouncement amounted to deliberate contempt.

“For a chief minister to falsely attribute words to the court is not just contemptuous; it is an assault on constitutional propriety and institutional integrity,” Gogoi said.

Sarma’s remarks trigger political backlash

Earlier this week, Sarma had said that the special revision of electoral rolls was aimed at preventing ‘Miyas’ from voting, adding that it was his “job to give trouble to Miya people”. A day later, he also directed the Public Works Department to prioritise local workers over ‘Miyas’ in hiring.

The comments triggered a political storm, with opposition leaders accusing the BJP government of targeting a particular community.

Leader of the opposition in the Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, wrote to the Chief Justice of India seeking suo motu cognisance of what he described as the misuse of the electoral roll revision process.

Chief minister offers clarification

Following the backlash, Sarma issued a clarification, stating that he had used the term ‘Miya’ specifically in reference to illegal Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants. He also claimed that his remarks were supported by observations of the top court referring to “demographic invasion” in Assam.

The issue of Bangladeshi immigration has long been politically sensitive in the state. Assam shares a porous border with Bangladesh, and difficult terrain has historically contributed to cross-border movement over several decades. Recent diplomatic tensions between Delhi and Dhaka following political changes in the neighbouring country have further heightened concerns along the border.

An IndiGo flight travelling from Kuwait to Delhi was diverted to Ahmedabad on Friday morning after a bomb threat was reported during the journey, airport officials confirmed.

The aircraft landed safely at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport around 6.40 am with 180 passengers on board. All passengers were evacuated immediately after landing as a precautionary measure.

According to airport authorities, the diversion was carried out after a passenger discovered a handwritten note claiming that a bomb was present inside the aircraft. The pilot promptly alerted air traffic control, following which the decision was taken to divert the flight to Ahmedabad.

Security agencies and airport personnel conducted a detailed inspection of the aircraft after passengers were moved to safety. Officials said that no suspicious object has been found so far.

“So far, nothing suspicious has been recovered. The flight may take off after receiving final clearance,” an airport official said.

In a statement, IndiGo said that its flight 6E 1232 operating from Kuwait to Delhi was diverted after a security threat was noticed on board. The airline added that all mandatory safety protocols were followed and the aircraft was cleared after necessary checks. The flight is expected to depart shortly.

Captain Sumit Kapoor, one of the five people killed in the plane crash that claimed the life of Ajit Pawar in Baramati, was not originally assigned to operate the flight, according to his friends. They said Kapoor had stepped in at the last moment after another pilot was delayed due to traffic.

Speaking during Kapoor’s funeral in Delhi, his friends said the veteran pilot had returned from Hong Kong just a few days earlier and received instructions to fly the aircraft only hours before the incident. He was tasked with flying Pawar from Mumbai to Baramati for election-related engagements.

The Learjet 45, operated by a Delhi-based aviation company, took off at around 8 am with Pawar and three others on board. The aircraft crashed around 8:45 am while attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport.

All five people on board died in the crash. The victims included Captain Kapoor, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, flight attendant Pinky Mali, and Pawar’s security guard Vidip Jadhav.

Sources familiar with the early stage of the investigation said a preliminary probe pointed to a possible pilot misjudgement during landing amid poor visibility. Technical issues are also being examined as part of the ongoing inquiry.

However, Kapoor’s friends rejected suggestions of pilot error, saying he was highly experienced and deeply committed to flying. They stressed that the likelihood of him making a serious mistake was minimal and called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the crash.

Remembering Kapoor, his friends described him as a kind and dedicated professional who loved flying. They said aviation ran in his family, with both his son and son-in-law also working as pilots. Kapoor is survived by his son and daughter, both married, and a brother who runs a business in Gurugram.

One of his friends said Kapoor’s body was identified by a bracelet he was wearing, while another said the news of his death was difficult to accept. A close associate also recalled speaking to Kapoor after his return from Hong Kong, during which the pilot had advised him to take special care of his health.