CM Himanta Sarma renews attacks on Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi over alleged Pakistan links, sparking a fierce backlash from the Congress party. Both sides exchange sharp accusations as the controversy deepens ahead of the elections.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has once again targeted Congress’ Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, alleging links with Pakistan, triggering a sharp response from the Congress party.
Addressing media on Sunday, Sarma stated, “We have only one Pakistani in Assam. She resides with a local family in Sukhi district and has applied for a long-term visa.” He added that the state government has approached the Union government to decide whether the individual should be repatriated.
Alongside, Sarma emphasized that except for this woman, Assam has no other Pakistani nationals. This comment comes amid an ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged connections between Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth, and Pakistani national and climate policy expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. BJP leaders, including Sarma, have alleged that Elizabeth may have links with Pakistan’s ISI.
Reacting strongly, Gaurav Gogoi called the accusations a political stunt by the BJP ahead of elections, accusing Sarma of attempting to shift focus from the land scam allegations surrounding his own family.
The Congress party condemned Sarma’s remarks, accusing him of exploiting sensitive border issues for personal political gain. “One has seen shameless people in politics, but the Chief Minister of Assam has crossed all limits of decency,” Pawan Khera, Congress Chairman of Media & Publicity, posted on X, asserting that Gogoi’s patriotism needed no validation from Sarma.
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal echoed these sentiments, calling Sarma’s statements “pathetic” and “below the belt.” Venugopal criticized the Assam Chief Minister for diverting attention from serious corruption allegations and warned that such frivolous accusations only strengthened India’s adversaries.
“Gaurav Gogoi is an honest leader who is bravely confronting a police state. We stand firmly behind him,” Venugopal said.
However, Sarma maintained his stance, asserting that his statements were based on verified facts and diligent investigation. Responding on X, he issued pointed questions to Gaurav Gogoi, asking whether he had visited Pakistan for 15 consecutive days, the citizenship status of his minor children, and whether Elizabeth received a salary from a Pakistan-linked NGO.
Sarma stressed that these were legitimate public-interest questions arising from documented facts, not personal attacks. He reiterated that the investigation is ongoing and will continue to reveal more findings as it progresses.
The political clash between the BJP and Congress continues to intensify, as both sides gear up for the crucial elections ahead.
