New Delhi, February 13: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has once again targeted Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, this time raising questions over his marriage to a British national and his involvement in sensitive defence matters. Sarma suggested that Gogoi’s actions, particularly his questions in Parliament after his marriage, indicated growing attention on matters related to national security and defence.
Accusations and Allegations
Sarma claimed that in 2015, Gaurav Gogoi, who was a first-term MP at the time, was invited by the Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, for a discussion on India-Pakistan relations. The meeting, according to Sarma, occurred despite the fact that Gogoi was not a member of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs, raising concerns about the purpose of the engagement.
Further, Sarma linked the Policy for Youth startup led by Gogoi to the Pakistani High Commission, accusing the MP of taking 50-60 young Indians to meet Pakistani officials, despite India’s official protests over Pakistani interference in internal matters like the Hurriyat Conference. Sarma claimed that shortly after this, Gogoi’s startup published an article critical of the Border Security Force’s handling of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, marking a shift in the MP’s focus to sensitive defence issues, including India’s arms factories, Coast Guard installations, and aeronautical defence.
Marriage to a British Citizen Raises Suspicion
Sarma also raised concerns over Gogoi’s marriage to Elizabeth Colbourn, a British national with ties to the Pakistani establishment. Sarma suggested that before her marriage, Colbourn had worked for a U.S. Senator with links to Pakistan and had later worked for an organization suspected of being associated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Sarma also posted a picture of Gogoi with Abdul Basit, the former Pakistani High Commissioner to India, and questioned whether Gogoi had complied with required Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) procedures for such high-level interactions.
Gogoi’s Response
Gaurav Gogoi, however, dismissed Sarma’s allegations, calling them an attempt to divert attention from the charges against Sarma himself. He sarcastically responded, “If my wife is an ISI agent, then I must be an R&AW agent.” Gogoi further rejected the allegations, stating that they were made by individuals with pending cases and allegations against them, and accused Sarma of making these claims for political gains.
BJP’s Support for Sarma’s Allegations
BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia also weighed in on the controversy, supporting Sarma’s accusations. He claimed that Elizabeth Colbourn had links to the ISI, specifically alleging connections to Tauqir Sheikh, an advisor in the Pakistan Planning Commission. Bhatia questioned why Congress had not addressed these links and raised concerns about Gogoi’s sensitive position in the Parliament.
Bhatia asked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to clarify Gaurav Gogoi’s wife’s alleged involvement with the ISI, urging the party to explain whether such associations compromised national security. He also alleged that the Congress party appeared to align itself with Pakistan and ISI in its political actions, questioning whether the party jeopardized national security in pursuit of political goals.
Political Backdrop
These allegations and counter-allegations have further intensified the ongoing political rhetoric between the ruling BJP and opposition parties, particularly over national security and issues relating to India’s relationship with Pakistan. The situation remains volatile as both parties continue to engage in heated exchanges, with a focus on Gogoi’s actions and his connections.
In the midst of the controversy, the issue of enforced disappearances and external influences on domestic politics continues to shape political discourse, especially in sensitive areas such as Balochistan and national security.