Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma reignites his attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, highlighting his family’s foreign citizenship and questioning his national allegiance. Sarma’s remarks come amid growing political tensions and claims of foreign influence in Assam’s elections.
In a fresh escalation of political rivalry in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched a sharp and sarcastic attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, questioning the foreign citizenship status of his family members. The remarks came during Sarma’s visit to the flood-affected Sribhumi district, where the BJP leader diverted from the crisis at hand to comment on his political opponent.
“In his family of four, three are British citizens,” Sarma said pointedly, referring to Gogoi. “It’s a good thing that he visited Silchar to review the flood situation. Otherwise, any day, he might just decide to settle abroad.”
This jibe marks yet another round of personal and political barbs as both BJP and Congress gear up for high-stakes political contests in the state. Sarma’s attack was layered with sarcasm, as he added, “I genuinely wonder what the dinner table conversations are like in his family — where three members are British citizens and he’s the only Indian.”
Gaurav Gogoi, the son of late Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, has been one of the key faces of the Congress party in Assam. As the state prepares for crucial political developments, including elections, tensions between the two major parties have intensified. Sarma’s remarks are being seen as part of a broader campaign by the BJP to target Congress leaders on issues of national identity, credibility, and grassroots connection.
Previously, Sarma had stirred controversy by alleging that a significant portion of pro-Congress social media content during the recent Panchayat elections in Assam originated from outside the country. “At least 50 per cent of the social media accounts supporting the Congress were operated from Pakistan, with a sizeable number based in Bangladesh as well. We have credible inputs, and the police will thoroughly investigate the matter,” the Chief Minister claimed.
Though Sarma didn’t explicitly name Gogoi in that context, political analysts see a clear thread connecting the narrative of “foreign influence” to his continuing attacks on the Congress MP.
In one of the more serious charges, Sarma claimed that Pakistan’s ISI was rooting for a specific candidate to win elections in Assam, a statement widely interpreted as a veiled reference to Gaurav Gogoi. “These kinds of activities will only intensify as elections draw nearer. I have more information that I will reveal on September 10. Many Congress supporters are not even based in Indian territory,” Sarma warned.
Such allegations, while politically damaging, also raise questions about the security and integrity of Assam’s electoral process. While no direct evidence has been publicly presented, Sarma’s confidence in the claims signals that more politically sensitive disclosures may be on the horizon.
Continuing his offensive, the Chief Minister mocked the Congress party’s dwindling grassroots support. He cited low minority turnout at recent events organized by the new state Congress leadership. “During recent events led by the new Congress state chief, minority participation was abysmally low. In Lahorighat, where five lakh minority people live, only around 5,000 showed up for the Congress programme,” he said.
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Sarma also took the opportunity to contrast his political journey with that of Gogoi, suggesting that while Gogoi was born into privilege, his own rise to power was a result of personal effort and commitment.
“I was not born with a silver spoon. My father was not the Chief Minister of Assam. I have reached this position through hard struggle. Unlike others, every member of my family is an Indian citizen,” he emphasized.
The Chief Minister’s remarks are seen by many as a calculated attempt to project himself as a leader rooted in the state’s soil, unlike his rival whom he paints as distanced, foreign-connected, and elite.
As Assam gears up for political campaigns and potential elections, such rhetoric is likely to shape the discourse in the coming months. With Sarma promising more “revelations” by September 10, the political temperature is only expected to rise. Whether the Congress will hit back with equal force remains to be seen, but the BJP’s strategy of blending nationalism with local pride is clearly aimed at discrediting its primary rival.
