Assam’s political atmosphere heated up today after a newly launched anti-corruption website of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) was allegedly hacked within minutes of going live, triggering a sharp political exchange between the Congress and the ruling BJP ahead of the Assembly elections.
The website, whoishbs.com, was launched on February 4 by Congress MP and APCC president Gaurav Gogoi at a press conference in Guwahati. The portal was designed to collect information and public submissions related to alleged corruption involving Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, whose initials “HBS” form part of the website’s title. Congress leaders said the platform aimed to present what they called the “real face” of the Chief Minister and sought details related to assets allegedly linked to Sarma and his family, including claims of a 12,000-bigha land grab across the state.
However, soon after the website went live, users reported that the homepage had been defaced with a message reading: “HBS 2.0 loading. Better luck next time, Paijaan.” Screenshots of the altered page quickly spread across social media, drawing widespread attention and embarrassment for the opposition party. The word “Paijaan,” often used sarcastically in local political conversations, appeared to target Gogoi personally.
Addressing the media, APCC media chairman Bedabrata Bora alleged that the hacking was carried out by the BJP’s IT cell in an attempt to silence the opposition. Calling the incident an “attack on democracy,” Bora said the party would restore the website soon with improved security systems. Gogoi also reacted strongly, claiming the hacking showed that the Chief Minister was “scared of scrutiny.” In a social media post, he remarked that he did not wish to comment on “hit and run,” indirectly criticising the government’s response.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and warned of legal action if the Congress continued to spread what he termed “malicious accusations.” BJP leaders also rejected any involvement in the hacking and instead questioned the Congress’s preparedness. Some party spokespersons mocked the opposition, saying that if it could not secure a simple website, it could hardly claim readiness to govern the state.
As of Thursday, many users still reported difficulty accessing the website, though Congress leaders said technical teams were working to restore full functionality soon. Meanwhile, social media platforms remained flooded with memes, political comments, and competing narratives, with hashtags related to the controversy trending across the state.
