Use of 'gobi farming' imagery by Assam minister draws opposition ire
Guwahati (PTI): The use of 'gobi farming' imagery by an Assam Cabinet minister after Bihar poll results has evoked sharp criticism from opposition, who are alleging that it is an apparent reference to the Bhagalpur communal riots.
They have questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the matter, maintaining that it is a 'new low in political discourse'.
Assam Cabinet minister Ashok Singhal, in a post on X on Friday afternoon, had shared a photograph of cauliflower farming with the caption "Bihar approves Gobi farming".
Hitting out on Singhal, state Congress president and party's deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi wrote on X: "The use of 'gobi farming' imagery by a sitting cabinet minister of Assam in the wake of the Bihar election results marks a shocking new low in political discourse. It is both vulgar and shameful."
He maintained that the image is "widely associated with the Logain massacre of 1989, where 116 Muslims were killed and their bodies concealed under cauliflower plantations during the Bhagalpur violence".
"To invoke such a tragedy in this manner shows how far some are willing to descend in public life," Gogoi said.
He alleged that such a mindset is promoted by Chief Minister Sarma who has "a hatred for Indian minorities".
"This is not what Assam is. Assam is the land of Mahapurush Sankardev, Lachit Borphukan and Azaan Pir," the Congress leader asserted.
"And next year the people of Assam will end the rule of hate and greed," he added, alluding to the coming Assembly election.
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale, in a post on X, claimed that such posts have the approval of the prime minister.
"Gobi farming" refers to glorifying the mass killing of Muslims in Bhagalpur, Bihar, in 1989. A cauliflower farm was planted on the graves to hide evidence," he alleged.
Emphasising that it was a "Modi's BJP Minister from Assam" who shared the photograph, Gokhale added, "Not some fringe element. Clearly, @PMOIndia approves this. The world should know."
Bihar approves Gobi farming ✅ pic.twitter.com/SubrTQ0Mu5
— Ashok Singhal (@TheAshokSinghal) November 14, 2025
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CBI registers fresh case against Reliance Communications, Anil Ambani
New Delhi (PTI): The CBI on Wednesday registered a fresh case against industrialist Anil Ambani and Reliance Communications Ltd for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 3,750 crore to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India, officials said.
The CBI has filed the case for the alleged offences of conspiracy, cheating and misappropriation and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint from the LIC, making it the fourth case against the company and Anil Ambani, they said.
The agency has alleged that LIC was fraudulently induced to subscribe to Non Convertible Debentures (NCDs) worth Rs. 4500 crore between 2009 and 2012 on the basis of false representations made by Reliance Communications Ltd. and its management regarding the financial health of the company, and security and asset cover offered to LIC while subscribing to the NCDs.
The insurer suffered a loss of over Rs 3,750 crore and ordered a forensic audit against the company.
The forensic audit report dated October 15, 2020, conducted by BDO India LLP, reported that RCOM and its management had resorted to misutilisation of funds raised from banks and financial institutions, routing of funds through subsidiaries, misuse of sale invoice financing, discounting of fictitious bills, systematic siphoning of funds through inter-company deposits/shell related entities, creating and write-off of fictitious debtors and receivables and gross overstatement of security.
It said there was a mismatch between the charges and the assets.
