‘Vinash kale viprit buddhi’: Jairam Ramesh, Himanta Biswa Sarma trade barbs on X over Assam Congress leader’s arrest

The arrest of Assam Congress spokesperson Reetam Singh by Guwahati police has triggered a heated exchange on X between Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Ramesh, in a post on X, slammed the Assam Chief Minister over the arrest of Reetam Singh for a social media post, calling the action "worse than atrocious". Ramesh, tagging the Assam CM, said Singh's controversial post was "perfectly reasonable".

"The arrest of my young colleague Reetam Singh for a perfectly reasonable social media post is worse than atrocious, Mr Chief Minister," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on X and tagged Sarma, the Chief Minister.

The Assam CM hit back, questioning the Congress party's stance and accusing Ramesh of justifying offensive remarks against a Dalit woman's husband. He also warned of an impending "big revelation" linking a 'senior Congress leader' to ISI and Pakistan.

"Sir, this case pertains to a caste-based insult directed at a Dalit woman. If you justify calling the husband of a Dalit woman a rapist as a 'perfectly reasonable' social media post, it speaks volumes about the direction in which you people have taken the Congress party. But, just wait – the big revelation is yet to come- The nexus of your senior leader with ISI and Pakistan will be exposed by September," Sarma replied.

'Gaurav Gogoi's link to George Soros'

The Chief Minister perhaps referred to his earlier allegations linking Congress Member of Parliament from Assam, Gaurav Gogoi and his British wife Elizabeth Colbourn to Pakistan and George Soros's Open Society.

Ramesh was quick to react to Sarma's response, calling him an "outgoing CM" and accusing him of using the police for political vendetta. "Mr Outgoing CM, stop diverting from the real issue - which is the abuse and misuse of police powers by you personally to favour your associates and fix your opponents," Ramesh wrote.

‘Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi’

Ramesh also wrote the famous Sanskrit proverb ‘Vinash kale viprit buddhi’ which means ‘In times of impending doom, judgment falters.’

On March 15, Reetam Singh was arrested for a social media post enquiring about the status of cases registered against three senior BJP leaders, including a former state chief and two serving MLAs. A team of Lakhimpur district police, assisted by the Guwahati Police, arrested him from his home in Guwahati.

Singh made a post on X on March 13 with a news report about three individuals being convicted by a court for a rape case in Dhemaji district in 2021.

"These culprits got punishment they deserved But what @BJP4Assam r@pe accused Ministers and MLAs like Manab Deka, Ex Party President Bhabesh Kalita, ex minister Rajen Gohain? Is law equal for all?" Singh had posted on X on March 13.

(With inputs from agencies)