Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has raised concerns over Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi’s recent questions on national security matters in Parliament, alleging that these inquiries followed his marriage to a British citizen. Sarma’s comments come amid BJP accusations that Gogoi’s wife has ties to Pakistan and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Sarma, without directly naming Gogoi, claimed that in 2015, the MP and his organization, Policy for Youth, attended a meeting at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to discuss India-Pakistan relations. Sarma questioned the motives behind the meeting, noting that Gogoi was not part of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs at the time and pointing to India’s official protests against Pakistani interference in internal affairs.
The Chief Minister also highlighted a shift in Gogoi’s parliamentary questions, alleging an increasing focus on sensitive defence matters, including India’s arms factories, Coast Guard radar systems, and security issues related to Iran. Sarma suggested these changes occurred after Gogoi’s marriage to his British wife, who, according to Sarma, had previously worked for an organization suspected of ISI connections.
Gogoi rejected the accusations as baseless, calling them “false allegations” and accusing the BJP of trying to distract from real issues facing the country. He dismissed the claims as part of a smear campaign, recalling similar attacks during the 2019 elections, which he argued had no impact on the voters.
Earlier, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia had raised concerns about Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn, alleging links to the ISI and organizations funded by George Soros. In response, Gogoi dismissed the claims with humor, stating, “If my wife is an ISI agent, then I am a RAW agent.”
As the Assam Assembly elections approach, Gogoi suggested that the BJP’s attacks were politically motivated and reflective of a weakening position within the state. He expressed confidence that the people of Assam would see through the allegations and deliver a decisive response at the polls.
