Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has revealed that former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had intended to file a legal case against Meghalaya, accusing it of contributing to the floods in Guwahati. Sarma stated that Gogoi believed deforestation in Meghalaya’s hills was a significant factor in the recurring floods affecting the city.
Speaking to the media, Sarma said, “Tarun Gogoi had pointed out that Jorabat was a major cause of the floods in Guwahati, and he had suggested taking legal action against Meghalaya. I have found references to this in the files and various documents. Now, Congress is criticizing me, and Gogoi’s son is also protesting my comments about the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM). If his son disagrees with what his father said, I can only respond to the facts.”
Sarma also accused the Congress of defending USTM solely because of its Muslim ownership. “The Congress party would not be reacting so vocally if the owner of USTM were Hindu,” he asserted. He criticized the party for allegedly politicizing the issue and using it to divert attention from the real causes of the floods. Sarma claimed that Gogoi had also criticized Akhil Gogoi and suggested that the previous discussions about Jorabat’s role in flooding had nothing to do with USTM, which was not in existence at the time.
