Jayanta Mallabaruah Hits Back: “My Silence Should Not Be Seen as Weakness”

Assam Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah has strongly refuted allegations of disproportionate land ownership involving his wife, calling the claims part of a "deliberate smear campaign" intended to malign his public image and insult the voters of Nalbari who elected him.

In a detailed Facebook post on Sunday, Mallabaruah said the wave of rumours and insinuations being circulated over the past few days—alleging that his wife has acquired large tracts of land ranging from 75 to 265 bighas—are not just false, but legally impossible.

“Even smear campaigns should have their limits,” he wrote. “Those attempting to defame me and my wife may be mistaking my silence for weakness. But this time, the lies have gone too far.”

The minister, who represents the Nalbari constituency, asserted that all his and his family’s assets have been consistently declared to the Election Commission during every election he has contested, and that such information is available in the public domain.

“Under Indian law, any election candidate is bound to disclose not just their own assets, but those of their spouse, children, and dependents,” he explained. “If there is anything illegal or disproportionate in what I own, anyone can look it up and take it to the Income Tax Department or the courts.”

Taking on the specific allegations, Mallabaruah pointed out that India’s Ceiling Act limits land ownership to a maximum of 50 bighas per individual. “So how can my wife legally purchase 75, 150, or 265 bighas of land? These stories are nothing but flimsy fiction,” he said.

The minister also reminded critics of his past public-spirited actions — notably donating his own land when a government technical institution in Nalbari faced a land crunch. “Someone who offers land for a public institution would not illegally hoard land for personal gain,” he added.

While refraining from naming specific opposition leaders or media houses, Mallabaruah accused a section of the press and rival political parties of amplifying “motivated and unfounded” claims against him.

“This is not just an attack on me as an individual. It is an insult to the 1.06 lakh voters who placed their faith in me and to the dignity of the people of Nalbari,” he said, calling the campaign “an attempt to repeatedly dishonour their sentiment.”

He concluded his post by saying he does not wish to become "media fodder," but is confident that impartial minds will eventually see through the fog of misinformation. “It’s easy to spread lies. Facing the truth is the hard part,” the minister remarked.

As political temperatures rise in Assam ahead of upcoming electoral battles, the timing of these allegations—and the minister's sharp rebuttal—signals an intensifying tug-of-war between ruling and opposition camps, with reputations and credibility now firmly at the centre of the discourse.

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