New Delhi, April 8 The BJP criticized Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday, saying he has become a "coward" compared to Rahul Gandhi's "lion" and is running away from the police after making baseless allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife.
This came after the Congress posted a video of Khera on X, saying, "Here is Media and Publicity Department Chairman @Pawankhera ji with new revelations and more questions for Assam's corrupt Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from an undisclosed location."
The opposition party alleged that Sarma, who is surrounded by serious allegations of corruption, is using the police instead of answering the questions Khera has raised.
"Pawan Khera is a strong supporter of the Congress party. He is not someone to be intimidated by such empty threats. He has asked you questions before and has come up with more new questions. If you have the courage, answer them. Hiding behind the police and speaking indecent language won't get you anywhere," it said, targeting Sarma.
Hitting back at the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Khera has created a "dispute" by making baseless allegations against Sarma and his wife on the basis of "forged and fabricated documents supplied from Pakistan".
"It is a laughable situation. Pawan Khera, who used to claim that he was Rahul's 'babbar sher' (lion), has become a 'bheegi billi' (scaredy-cat) now and is going around hiding his face. And now, the Congress party has posted a new video of him from an undisclosed location," Poonawalla said in a video message on X, taking potshots at the Congress and Khera.
"Pawan Khera, if you have the courage and if you truly are one of Rahulji's 'babbar sher', then why are you wandering around at an undisclosed location? Come out in the open. Disclose your location.... Give your statement to the Assam Police with proof (of the allegations against Sarma and his wife). Why are you running away from the police?" the BJP leader asked.
A team of the Assam Police came to Khera's Delhi residence on Tuesday for questioning him and carried out a search in connection with a case filed by Sarma's wife over the Congress leader's allegations of multiple passports and undeclared assets.
Sarma had warned of legal action against Khera, after the Congress leader alleged at a press conference here on Sunday that the Assam chief minister's wife has multiple passports and foreign property, which were not declared in his election affidavit.
The 126-member Assam Assembly goes to polls on Thursday.