GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is reported to have evaded five summons from a court in Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand, linked to a defamation case filed by the state Congress.
The case revolves around Chief Minister Sarma’s alleged indecent remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the 2022 Uttarakhand assembly election campaign.
On January 20, a legal team from Delhi represented Sarma appeared before the Uttarakhand court and cited his “unavailability”, leading the court to reschedule the hearing, summoning him to appear on February 24, a news agency reported.
The legal saga had its roots in an election meeting held in Kichcha on February 11, 2022, where Sarma reportedly remarked, “Did we ever ask Rahul Gandhi to give proof of who his father is?”
This statement was a response to Rahul’s queries about the 2016 surgical strikes conducted by India in Pakistan.
Despite the case’s initiation on May 17, 2023, Sarma has consistently evaded court appearances, with summons scheduled for September 21, October 17, November 18 in 2023, and most recently on January 20 this year.
Ganesh Upadhyay, the spokesperson of Uttarakhand Congress and the complainant in the case, had earlier appeared before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in May 2023 to record his statement.
Upadhyay had expressed that Sarma’s alleged remarks had deeply hurt the sentiments of civil society members.
The crux of the defamation case rests on the assertion that Sarma’s remarks were indecent and defamatory towards Sonia Gandhi and Rahul.
The Chief Minister’s evasion of court summons adds a layer of complexity to this ongoing legal battle, and all eyes will be on the impending hearing on February 24.
