Jorhat: In a sharp escalation of political rhetoric, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, January 29, branded state Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi and his British wife, Elizabeth Colburn, as "Pakistani agents." Speaking on the sidelines of an official function, Sarma dared the Lok Sabha MP to take legal action against him if he had the courage.
The allegations stem from claims made by the Chief Minister and the BJP regarding Gogoi's wife and her purported connections to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The ruling party has frequently alleged that the Congress leader maintains "direct links" with the neighboring nation.
"Gaurav Gogoi is a Pakistani agent, and his wife is also a Pakistani (agent). If he has courage, let him go and file a case against me," Sarma told reporters.
Earlier this week, Sarma indicated that the state cabinet would make a formal decision on February 7 regarding the future course of action based on a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report. The SIT has been probing alleged interference in India’s internal affairs by Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who is claimed to have links with Colburn.
Sarma stated that Colburn was examined by SIT sleuths during the investigation, along with over 20 other individuals. He alleged that Colburn had traveled between India and Pakistan 19 times and accused her of collecting classified government documents, specifically Intelligence Bureau (IB) reports, on behalf of a "Pakistani climate lobby."
Furthermore, the Chief Minister alleged that Gogoi himself had visited Pakistan on an ISI invitation, undergone training there, and worked closely with the Pakistani establishment. When asked about Gogoi’s dismissal of the allegations, Sarma remarked, "Then it is good for him."
Drawing a historical parallel, Sarma compared the Congress party to Badan Chandra Barphukan, the Ahom general notorious for inviting the Burmese army into Assam in 1817, which eventually led to British rule. "In today’s history, the entire Congress is Badan Barphukan, who has invited the Miyas and made them settle here. We will have to fight and will continue to fight," Sarma said.
In response, Gaurav Gogoi slammed the accusations as "ridiculous, baseless, insane, and nonsense." Questioning the Chief Minister's mental state, Gogoi remarked that Sarma was behaving like an "IT cell troll" rather than a responsible leader, suggesting the outbursts were a result of personal issues on the home front.
(Inputs from PTI)