‘Finally He Admitted…’: Himanta Sarma Doubles Down On Gaurav Gogoi Over Alleged Pak Links

Last Updated:May 28, 2025, 16:02 IST

A political storm broke out after Gaurav Gogoi publicly acknowledged his visit to Pakistan over a decade ago.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi. (PTI file photos)

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday continued his tirade against Jorhat MP MP and Congress’ state unit chief Gaurav Gogoi, saying that the latter’s admission of vising Pakistan is not the end but the beginning of a serious issue. He claimed that the evidences prove that Gogoi has maintained proximity with the Pakistani establishment.

Sarma said that the Assam government will make related evidence public on September 10 once the Special Investigation Team submits its report.

A fresh political tussle broke out after Gaurav Gogoi publicly acknowledged his visit to Pakistan over a decade ago.

What Gogoi Said?

While addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the Congress MP admitted that he had visited the neighbouring country in 2013. He reasoned that his wife, who is a renowned public policy expert, was in Pakistan for a project on South-East Asia.

Gogoi stated that it was during her stay in Pakistan, the Jorhat MP had visited the neighbouring country.

“About 14-15 years ago, my wife, who is a well-known expert in public policy, worked on an international project in South Asia focused on climate change. She spent one year there, including some time in Pakistan, before returning to India around 2012-13. Since then, she has continued her work and took a job in 2015. I also remember going with her once around 2013," he said.

Gogoi took a jibe at Sarma saying that the ruling party is creating a drama and making a issue of a small thing.

“They (Himanta Sarma/ BJP) are making issue of it as their work is only demeaning, and that’s why they are creating this whole thing like a C-grade Bollywood movie," he added.

Gogoi has also pushed back against the allegations, questioning the timing and motives behind their emergence.

“Further, we want to question Assam CM, if the said allegation is true and we have done anything wrong then whose government is in power for the last 11-12 years… what is the central investigation agency doing," he stated, highlighting what he perceives as political manoeuvring with elections approaching.

Sarma Hits Back

Responding to Gogoi’s remarks, Sarma has alleged that the former has deeper links with the Pakistani establishment.

“Finally, Congress MP Shri Gaurav Gogoi has admitted that he visited Pakistan.  But let us be very clear — this is just the beginning, not the end. What lies ahead is far more serious. There exists every reasonable ground, supported by credible inputs and documented information, to suggest that Shri Gogoi has maintained proximity with the Pakistani establishment," Sarma said in a post on X.

Sarma further reiterated its commitment to transparency, and asserted that the SIT’s findings will be fully disclosed to the public. He said that the government will the findings from a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the matter on September 10.

“The Government of Assam, committed to transparency and accountability, will make everything public on 10th September, once the Special Investigation Team (SIT) concludes its comprehensive inquiry. The people of Assam and the nation deserve the truth — and they shall have it, in full," he added.

The Chief Minister further accused the grand old party and Rahul Gandhi of promoting a compromised individual into public life.

“But the people will also not forget — nor forgive — the Congress party and Shri Rahul Gandhi for deliberately promoting such a dangerous and compromised individual into the public life of our country," he added.

What BJP Has Alleged?

The BJP had accused Gogoi’s wife of having links with Pakistan and the ISI, a charge rejected by the deputy opposition leader in the Lok Sabha as “laughable and entertaining". Has Alleged?

The saffron camp had further alleged that Gogoi had visited the Pakistan High Commission after he was elected to Lok Sabha in the 2014 elections without seeking permission from the Lok Sabha Speaker, Home Ministry and other related ministries. After his visit, Gogoi’s organisation ’Policy for Youth’ wrote an article in a newspaper accusing BSF personnel of misbehaving with “illegal women Bangladeshi intruders".

Earlier in February, Sarma had raised questions about a meeting Gaurav Gogoi held 10 years ago with the then Pakistan High Commissioner to India. The state government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the alleged interference of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who is claimed to have links with Gogoi’s British wife Elizabeth Colburn, in India’s internal affairs.

Gogoi, however, has vehemently dismissed the allegations against him and his wife. The Congress MP had asked Sarma to provide evidence for the allegations he was levelling.

The Congress MP called Sarma’s allegations “nonsense" and raised concern over his health. “99% of what the Chief Minister has been saying is nonsense," he said in a post on X. “I am worried about the health of the chief minister of Assam. For some reason, best known to him, I have been on his radar since my entry into Assam. He has made many baseless remarks about me in the past 13 years. The most recent one borders on insanity and the absurd," Gogoi said in an earlier X post.

Who Is Elizabeth Gogoi?

Elizabeth Gogoi, born Elizabeth Colebourn in the UK, holds a Master’s degree in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics (LSE) and married Gaurav Gogoi in 2013.

She previously worked with the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN). According to her author profile on the CDKN website, where her last article dates back to 2014, she coordinated the organisation’s work in India and Nepal.

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News politics ‘Finally He Admitted…’: Himanta Sarma Doubles Down On Gaurav Gogoi Over Alleged Pak Links