"Attacking below the belt": Manoj Kumar Jha slams Assam CM over remarks on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi
May 19, 2025
Patna (Bihar) [India], May 19 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Monday expressed strong reservations against the remarks made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, saying that the former was "attacking below the belt".
Labelling Sarma's actions as a "crime", he suggested that the competition must be kept within Assam, advising the CM to fight politically instead of making "below the belt" attacks.
"You should keep your competition within Assam and fight politically. Below the belt attack comes under the category of crime," Jha told ANI.
The RJD MP further expressed disappointment over the treatment of the opposition in the country, which he said was understood as that of an enemy. Hitting out at the Assam CM, Jha said that the countries abroad were witnessing statements being made against a sitting MP, which would prompt others to say that things were not alright.
"If you use language of animosity against your competitor...if something has changed in this country drastically in the past 10-12 years, it is that competitors (opposition) are being seen as enemies. Whether there is an election or not, the language used against the opposition is the language of the enemy. How can you make remarks on an elected MP?... The other countries across the world are also watching...they will hear these remarks and say, 'your house is not in order'," Jha said.
His remarks come after Sarma alleged that Gaurav Gogoi had visited Pakistan on the "invitation of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)," the neighbouring country's spy agency.
Addressing the media, CM Sarma said, "Gaurav Gogoi had gone to Pakistan on the invitation of ISI. For the first time, I want to say that he went to Pakistan at the invitation of ISI. We have that document. He went there to receive training."
The Chief Minister further claimed that Gogoi's visit was facilitated not by Pakistan's Ministry of External Affairs or Cultural Ministry, but by Pakistan's Home Department, making it a matter of serious national concern.
Meanwhile, Gogoi dismissed the claims made by Sarma, calling them "absurd" and labelling him a "troll". He said the script, followed by the BJP leader, is "worse than a B-grade film."
"The script that the Chief Minister is following is worse than a B-grade film. To cover up one lie, a person has to say countless lies. That is exactly what the Chief Minister is doing," Gogoi posted on X.
