Himanta alleges Gogoi raised questions in Parliament on defence matters after his marriage to British citizen:

In what appears to be a direct attack on Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday accused the MP of raising questions in Parliament on sensitive defense issues following his marriage to a British citizen. Gogoi swiftly dismissed these allegations as baseless and misleading.

Sarma’s remarks came a day after the BJP alleged that Gogoi’s wife had links with Pakistan and its intelligence agency, the ISI—claims that the Congress leader ridiculed as “laughable and entertaining.”

The Assam chief minister took to social media platform X to allege that in 2015, Pakistan’s then-High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, invited a first-term MP and his organization, Policy for Youth, for discussions on India-Pakistan relations at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Although he did not mention Gogoi by name, the implication was clear.

Sarma further claimed that the MP was not a member of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs at the time, raising suspicions about the purpose of his engagement with the Pakistani authorities. The meeting, he stated, took place despite India’s official objections to the Pakistani High Commission’s interference in internal matters, particularly its connections with the Hurriyat Conference.

The Assam CM accused the MP of disregarding these concerns and taking 50 to 60 young Indians to meet Pakistani officials. He also pointed out that an analysis of the MP’s parliamentary queries revealed an increased focus on sensitive defense matters, such as inquiries about Coast Guard radar installations, India’s arms factories, aeronautical defense projects, trade routes with Iran, the status of Kashmiri students, and alleged attacks on churches. According to Sarma, this shift in priorities coincided with the MP’s marriage to a British citizen, whose professional background further intensified suspicions.

He went on to allege that before her marriage, Gogoi’s wife had worked for an American senator known for close ties with Pakistani authorities. Furthermore, Sarma claimed she had spent time in Pakistan, employed by an organization widely suspected of being a front for the ISI. “The timing of these events adds another layer of intrigue to the MP’s evolving political stance and actions,” he stated.

Rejecting these allegations outright, Gogoi told PTI Video that the BJP had resorted to fabricating stories due to a lack of real issues to discuss. “The people of India are politically aware and can see through the lies and confusion that the BJP is attempting to spread,” he said.

He added that while the ruling party indulges in propaganda, his focus remains on raising issues that matter—such as unemployment and inflation in Assam, and the ongoing unrest in Manipur. “In a democracy, the people hold the ultimate power, and I have full faith in them,” he asserted.

BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia had earlier alleged that serious concerns regarding national security had surfaced. He claimed that Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn, had links to Pakistan Planning Commission Advisor Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and the ISI.

Bhatia described this as “extremely concerning” and demanded that the Congress leadership and Gogoi himself issue a clarification. He further alleged that Colburn’s organization is funded by billionaire George Soros, adding another dimension to the controversy.

Responding to the allegations, Gogoi dismissed them as “baseless” and even mocked the claims. “If my wife is an ISI agent, then I must be a RAW agent,” he quipped. He further accused the BJP of orchestrating a smear campaign against him and his family, much like they had done before the last Lok Sabha elections—where he had ultimately won from the Jorhat constituency.

He also alleged that multiple land scams involving the Assam chief minister’s family had been reported to BJP leadership in Delhi. “Fearing he might lose his position, Sarma is attempting to divert attention by launching a personal attack on me and my family,” Gogoi claimed.

With Assam’s assembly elections scheduled for next year, the Congress leader suggested that the BJP’s focus on such accusations indicates insecurity about its standing with the people. “The people of Assam know the truth, and they will deliver their response at the right time,” he concluded.