Assam CM Sarma alleges Gogoi’s links with Pak; ‘worse than C-grade cinema’, says Congress leader

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday reiterated serious allegations against Congress MP and Assam state president Gaurav Gogoi, claiming he had links with Pakistan through his British wife Elizabeth Colburn and Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. The Assam cabinet has referred the matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with Sarma alleging that sensitive information from Indian agencies was passed to Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference in the poll-bound state, Sarma said the state government was unlikely to arrest Gogoi at this stage, as it would be seen as “doing politics” before polls. “Arresting is a harsh step,” he said, adding that the Centre should take the call. At the same time, he alleged that Gogoi made a confidential visit to Pakistan in December 2013 and as MP raised sensitive questions in Parliament on defence and security.

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He also cited issues related to Gogoi’s family’s citizenship and religion, and said if Gogoi fails to clarify his Pakistan visit, treason charges should be imposed.

Responding sharply, Gogoi dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and mocked Sarma’s press conference as the “most flop press conference of the century,” and “worse than a C-grade cinema.” “Most mindless and bogus points” were raised by the “so-called politically shrewd” chief minister, Gogoi said, accusing him of diverting attention from public issues.

“Himanta Biswa Sarma has embarrassed himself on the stage in front of local and national media. After a 2.5-hour press conference, even the journalists in the room remained unconvinced. Nobody in Assam is taking his words seriously. He should rather explain how he and his family managed to acquire 12,000 bighas or 4000 acres of prime property across Assam. When we will come to power, we will take those lands and distribute them amongst the poor and landless,” Gogoi said.

Alleging violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), Sarma claimed Colburn received a salary from Sheikh while working in India. According to the Assam CM, Colburn worked with LEAD Pakistan, run by Sheikh, before being transferred to India to work with a related organisation, while her salary allegedly continued to be paid by Sheikh. He claimed Pakistani agencies could not fund Indian entities without special permission, possibly obtained during the UPA government. He also alleged that Colburn gathered sensitive information in India, including inputs from Intelligence Bureau sources on climate action after Narendra Modi came to power, and sent a 45-page report to Sheikh.

She travelled to Islamabad six times while with LEAD India and visited Pakistan three times after joining another NGO, he alleged, saying that the Assam government will seek cancellation of Colburn’s OCI, terming her presence detrimental to India. While the Assam Police SIT did not question Gogoi “showing some respect to his position,” Sarma said the Centre must now act”. “If Gogoi cannot come clean on his Pakistan stay, then charges of ‘rashtra-droh’ (treason) will have to be imposed on him,” he said.

Observers see Sarma’s allegations to be driven largely by political strategy ahead of the Assam Assembly elections. By projecting Gogoi as a national security concern and invoking Pakistan, FCRA violations and intelligence leaks, Sarma seems to be trying to shift the political debate to nationalism — an area where the BJP has an advantage. Referring the matter to the MHA allows him to avoid direct action while keeping the issue alive in public discourse. Whether the move to put Gogoi on the defensive and in turn weaken Congress in Assam will help him remains to be seen; the unanswered questions have the potential to create doubts during elections.