After Congress MP Jairam Ramesh shared the four names nominated by the party for delegations to be sent abroad to shape global opinion on India’s war against terrorism, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma seemingly got upset over one of the names included on the list. In a veiled attack on Gaurav Gogoi, Sarma claimed that the Deputy Leader of the INC in the Lok Sabha had not “denied his prolonged stay in Pakistan” and alleged that “his wife draws a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO”.

He also urged the Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, to refrain from nominating such people for “sensitive” and “strategic” assignments.  

“One of the MPs named in the list (from Assam) has not denied his prolonged stay in Pakistan – reportedly for two weeks – and credible documents show that his wife was drawing salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while working in India,” Sarma wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). 

He added, “In the interest of national security and beyond partisan politics, I urge the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, not to include this individual in such a sensitive and strategic assignment.”

What Jairam Ramesh posted on X?

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh stated that the party had submitted the names of four MPs, as requested by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, to “explain India’s stance on terrorism from Pakistan”. The nominated MPs include former Union Minister Anand Sharma, Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, Rajya Sabha MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, and Lok Sabha MP Raja Brar.

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Assam CM’s allegations against Congress MP

Earlier, Sarma alleged that Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, who works in climate policy and previously worked in Pakistan, had links to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He also claimed their two children had surrendered their Indian passports a few years ago.

“Let Rahul Gandhi clarify whether an Indian person visiting Pakistan when he happened to be the son of a sitting Chief Minister, without even informing the Congress party, is a crime or not. We want to know the position of the Congress party. So I will speak to (Congress president) Mallikarjun Kharge as well. If he says going to Pakistan is not a crime, then fine, let the people of India know that. But we want to hear that from Rahul Gandhi, we want to hear that from Kharge,” said Sarma.

Sarma further alleged that upon his return from Pakistan, Gogoi took around 90 young people to the Pakistan Embassy, many of whom were unaware of the purpose of the visit. He also implied that Gogoi had asked parliamentary questions that appeared to support Pakistan’s narrative.

“Secondly, on his return, he took 90 boys and girls to the Pakistan embassy. Out of that, many have said that they were not told they were going to the Pakistan embassy. Subsequently, there are many questions (asked in Parliament by Gogoi) which indirectly help the Pakistan Army. You have to see that in the context of his visits. He may have been taken to the Army headquarters in Pakistan as well. But that he has to deny… He has to explain where he spent those 13-14 days,” he added during the campaign for the panchayat polls in the state.

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In response, Gogoi accused Sarma of indulging in “petty politics” at a time when the nation was united against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The terror attack killed 26 people in the Valley, and in retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor targeting nine terror hotbeds in Pakistan. 

“At a time when the entire country is united and supporting the central government in their efforts against Pakistan, the BJP IT cell, including the Chief Minister of Assam, is indulging in petty politics. We want the government to take strong measures against Pakistan and extract a heavy price for the Pahalgam attack,” Gogoi said.

It’s Gogoi vs Sarma on social media

In a social media post dated April 27, Sarma posted three pointed questions for Gogoi, without naming him, referring to him only as an “MP from the Congress Party”. 

The questions were: “1- Did you visit Pakistan for a continuous period of 15 days? If so, could you kindly clarify the purpose of your visit? 2- Is it true that your wife continues to receive a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while residing and working in India? If so, may we ask why a Pakistan-based organisation is paying a salary for activities conducted in India? 3- What is the citizenship status of your wife and your two children? Are they Indian citizens, or do they hold the citizenship of any other country?”

Gogoi quoted the post and responded with three counter-questions of his own. He wrote, “Questions for Chief Minister of Assam.”

“1- Will you resign if you fail to prove your allegations that I and my wife are agents of an enemy country? 2- Will you take questions on your own children and wife? 3- Will the state police arrest those linked to the coal mafia who are ravaging the hills of Assam and making crores of undeclared money?” he had written. 

Gogoi also mentioned that he is awaiting the findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was formed in February after an FIR was registered against Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a Pakistani climate expert, and “unknown others”.

The FIR includes charges of abetment from outside India, criminal conspiracy, and acts endangering national unity, filed under sections of the UAPA.

Sarma has alleged that Sheikh, Gogoi’s wife’s former colleague, and Gogoi himself may be “accomplices”.

“I would like to clarify that neither I nor my son and daughter have ever visited Pakistan. Furthermore, my wife and our entire family would never even think of accepting any salary or financial support from Pakistan. All members of my family, including my wife, son, and daughter, are Indian citizens. None of my children has ever surrendered or renounced Indian citizenship,” Sarma had replied, adding that it is now “Gogoi’s turn to answer”.

He even set a September 10 deadline, by which he claimed that “sufficient material will be placed in the public domain exposing the connections between the concerned Congress Member of Parliament and Pakistan”.