No Lessons Needed: Sarma Rejects Singhvi's Democracy Jibe

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma delivered a pointed dismissal to Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi's barbs on the Kheda episode, insisting he's beyond tutorials on democratic values or propriety. On X, his response cut deep: 'I require no schooling in democracy, discourse, or decorum from anyone—above all, not A.M. Singhvi. Politeness and Singhvi are mutually exclusive.' Sarma pivoted to the heart of the matter: a non-political woman's reputation under siege via TV broadcasts and spurious overseas papers, not genuine policy debate. He pinned hopes on judicial reckoning: 'I trust courts will intervene, sooner or later, to punish the perpetrators who forged documents to smear her image and influence votes.' Targeting Singhvi's strategy, Sarma quipped, 'Easy to speak when the other side can't reply. Call it what it is—shirking honest debate.' His post ended triumphantly: 'This marks the onset, not conclusion. Satyameva Jayate.' Context stems from Singhvi's attack on Sarma's conduct in the Pawan Kheda saga, post the Supreme Court's conditional anticipatory bail to Kheda over statements about Sarma's spouse, Rinki Bhuyan Sarma. Drawing on court comments, Singhvi deemed some utterances undignified, weakening democracy's fabric, and advocated for robust protections of dissent. Assam’s political arena is now a tinderbox, with BJP and Congress locked in mutual recriminations. This feud transcends rhetoric, probing boundaries of free speech versus defamation. As developments unfold, Sarma's bold riposte reinforces his image as a combative leader, while spotlighting ethical lapses in political warfare. The court's role looms large in resolving the imbroglio.