GUWAHATI: Sujata Gurung Chowdhury, mother of opposition alliance candidate Kunku Chowdhury, has written an open letter to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday, May 12, following his swearing-in, expressing concern over remarks made about her during the recently concluded Assam Assembly election campaign while also expressing her intent to file a defamation suit.
In the letter, Sujata congratulated Sarma on his electoral victory and assumption of office, while also referring to statements allegedly made about her during campaign speeches. She stated that her name was repeatedly mentioned during the election period and said the allegations had affected both her personal and public life.
She also referred to a photograph circulated in connection with the controversy, saying the claims surrounding the image had already been clarified earlier.
According to Sujata, the incident led to increased public scrutiny and personal difficulties, including concerns over photographs of her family members being shared on public platforms.
Responding to comments regarding her ideological views, she wrote that reading, writing, or sharing articles on different subjects should not automatically determine a person’s beliefs or political identity.
Highlighting constitutional values, Sujata stated that citizens in India have the right to make personal choices relating to food habits, religion, culture, and ideology.
She further said that she intends to pursue legal action by filing a defamation suit seeking symbolic compensation of Re 1 along with a public apology.
The letter concluded with remarks on democratic accountability and the role of citizens in a democracy.