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.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of disrespecting Assamese cultural traditions after he allegedly declined to wear a gamosa during a reception hosted by President Droupadi Murmu.

Addressing a gathering in Assam’s Dibrugarh, Shah said Rahul Gandhi was free to act as he wished, but stressed that the ruling party would not tolerate any insult to the culture of the northeastern state. He claimed that other guests at the event, including foreign dignitaries, wore the traditional Assamese scarf as a mark of respect, while Gandhi did not.

The home minister’s remarks came amid heightened political activity in Assam, which is scheduled to go to the polls later this year.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also joined the criticism, saying Rahul Gandhi should learn to respect the culture of Assam and the northeast. Sarma added that those seeking votes from the region must show regard for its traditions.

The BJP leaders cited photographs from the event in which Gandhi appeared to be the only person not wearing the gamosa.

Congress hits back, calls it propaganda

The Congress rejected the BJP’s allegations, accusing the ruling party of attempting to malign Rahul Gandhi through misinformation.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was present at the same reception, said the claim that Gandhi insulted Assamese culture was baseless. Kharge asserted that Gandhi was not the only attendee who was not wearing the gamosa and named senior BJP leaders who, according to him, were also not seen wearing it.

Kharge said Gandhi was holding the gamosa and had worn it, dismissing the controversy as political propaganda aimed at damaging the Congress leader’s image. He added that such attempts would not succeed.

The Congress chief also raised a separate issue, alleging that he and Rahul Gandhi were disrespected during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi by being seated in the third row. He claimed they were made to sit behind children and next to ministers of state, and demanded an apology from the government.

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.