Mallabaruah denies land grab allegations, calls it Opposition's 'smear campaign’

Guwahati, Jul 6: PHED Minister and Nalbari MLA Jayanta Mallabaruah has strongly denied allegations of undisclosed land holdings, calling them a “purpose-driven smear campaign” aimed at damaging his reputation ahead of the elections.

In a statement issued on social media on Sunday, Mallabaruah said the accusations were entirely baseless and part of a deliberate attempt to mislead the public about his family’s assets. He termed it not just a personal attack but an "insult" to the 1.06 lakh voters who have consistently placed their trust in him.

“There should be a limit to baseless propaganda. It is clear that the recent allegations against me and my spouse are entirely purpose-driven. Yes, politicians do become victims of conspiracies from time to time, that’s part of public life. But the recent smear campaign has crossed all limits,” a loose translation of the post read.

Reiterating that he has always complied with constitutional provisions, the Minister clarified that every candidate contesting elections in India is required to submit a detailed declaration of assets, including those of their spouse and dependent family members, to the Election Commission.

“I have submitted my and my family’s list of assets to the Election Commission during every election. These details are public and available on the Commission’s website for anyone to read. If anyone has any doubts, they can approach the Income Tax Department or the courts. The law is in force in this country,” he asserted.

Responding directly to the allegations that his wife has acquired hundreds of bighas of land, Mallabaruah called the claims “laughable stories”. He pointed out that, under Indian law, no individual can own more than 50 bighas of land.

“How can my wife own 75 bighas in one place, 150 bighas in another, and 265 bighas elsewhere when the law does not permit it? It’s nothing but a fabricated story,” he said.

He also reminded the public of his record of service to the community, citing a past instance when he offered his own land for the establishment of a government institution in Nalbari.

“The people of Nalbari know that when land was needed for a government institute, I offered my own house land. Why would someone who can donate land for public good go and flout land laws for personal gain?” he asked.

While hitting out at sections of the media and the Opposition for “spreading misinformation without logic and facts”, Mallabaruah maintained that he would not respond to every accusation just to feed media sensationalism.

“I do not want to become fodder for the media uninvited. I have neither the time nor the desire to keep explaining myself to those who pretend not to understand,” he said, adding that he remains confident that “people with a neutral mind will understand what is true and what is false in due course.”

The minister’s statement comes in response to a series of allegations made by Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi, who accused him of occupying around 85 bighas of non-cadastral government land along the Baralia river in Rangiya.

Addressing the press on Saturday, Gogoi claimed that the land in question lies within designated wetland areas.