‘Are They Indians?’ Himanta Sarma Vs Gaurav Gogoi Over Congress MP’s Spouse’s Alleged ‘Pakistan Hyperlinks’ – News18

Final Up to date:April 27, 2025, 17:38 IST

The Assam CM had earlier alleged that Gogoi’s spouse Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi receives wage from a Pakistan-based NGO and she or he and their youngsters should not Indian residents.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi locked horns in a fierce trade of allegations and counter-charges on social media over the latter’s household’s alleged hyperlinks with Pakistan.

Sarma, in a veiled assault, requested Gogoi whether or not he had stayed in Pakistan for a steady interval of 15 days and his spouse will get a wage from a Pakistani NGO.

The Assam CM had earlier alleged that Gogoi’s spouse Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi receives wage from a Pakistan-based NGO and she or he and their youngsters should not Indian residents.

With out naming Gogoi, he posted questions for him. He additionally questioned the citizenship standing of the MP’s spouse and their youngsters.

“Questions for the Hon’ble Member of Parliament from the Congress Occasion: Did you go to Pakistan for a steady interval of 15 days? If that’s the case, might you kindly make clear the aim of your go to? Is it true that your spouse continues to obtain a wage from a Pakistan-based NGO whereas residing and dealing in India? If that’s the case, might we ask why a Pakistan-based group is paying a wage for actions carried out in India? What’s the citizenship standing of your spouse and your two youngsters? Are they Indian residents, or do they maintain the citizenship of some other nation? Many extra questions will observe,” he mentioned in a publish on X.

Quickly the Congress MP hit again at Sarma questioning if the Chief Minister was prepared for questions on his spouse and youngsters.

“Will you resign should you fail to show your allegations of me and my spouse being brokers of an enemy nation? Will you are taking questions by yourself youngsters and spouse? Will the state police arrest these linked to coal mafia who make are ravaging the hills of Assam and making crores of undeclared cash? Ready for the SIT report back to be submitted,” he mentioned on X.

He additionally questioned whether or not the state police would arrest these “linked to coal mafia who’re ravaging the hills of Assam and making crores of undeclared cash”.

It was an obvious reference to Enforcement Directorate’s findings that unlawful rat gap quarrying was being ‘rampantly’ accomplished in Meghalaya and a ‘syndicate’ with folks from each states ensured that vans containing unlawful coal cleared the borders of Meghalaya and entered into Assam. Gogoi had posted on X about this matter on Saturday.

“Ready for the SIT report back to be submitted,” Gogoi added to his publish with the three questions, although he didn’t make clear which investigation he was referring to.

In his response to the Congress MP, Sarma mentioned, “I want to make clear that neither I nor my son and daughter have ever visited Pakistan. Moreover, my spouse and our whole household would by no means even consider accepting any wage or monetary help from Pakistan.”

“All members of my household, together with my spouse, son, and daughter, are Indian residents. None of my youngsters has ever surrendered or renounced Indian citizenship. Now, it’s your flip to reply. Within the coming days, ample materials can be positioned within the public area exposing the connections between the involved Congress Member of Parliament and Pakistan. Look ahead to tenth September 2025,” he added.

The BJP had accused Gogoi’s spouse of getting hyperlinks with Pakistan and the ISI, a cost rejected by the deputy opposition chief within the Lok Sabha as “laughable and entertaining”.

The saffron camp had additional alleged that Gogoi had visited the Pakistan Excessive Fee after he was elected to Lok Sabha within the 2014 elections with out in search of permission from the Lok Sabha Speaker, House Ministry and different associated ministries. After his go to, Gogoi’s organisation ’Coverage for Youth’ wrote an article in a newspaper accusing BSF personnel of misbehaving with “unlawful ladies Bangladeshi intruders”.

Earlier in February, Sarma had raised questions on a gathering Gaurav Gogoi held 10 years in the past with the then Pakistan Excessive Commissioner to India. The state authorities had fashioned a Particular Investigation Group (SIT) to probe into the alleged interference of Pakistani nationwide Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who’s claimed to have hyperlinks with Gogoi’s British spouse Elizabeth Colburn, in India’s inner affairs.

Sarma’s private assault on the Congress MP and his spouse, citing his alleged Pakistan hyperlinks, comes after the Pahalgam terror carnage that left 26 people, principally vacationers lifeless.

Who Is Elizabeth Gogoi?

Elizabeth Gogoi, born Elizabeth Colebourn within the UK, holds a Grasp’s diploma in Worldwide Political Financial system from the London College of Economics (LSE) and married Gaurav Gogoi in 2013.

She beforehand labored with the Local weather and Improvement Data Community (CDKN). In keeping with her writer profile on the CDKN web site, the place her final article dates again to 2014, she coordinated the organisation’s work in India and Nepal.

Location :

Guwahati [Gauhati], India, India