Guwahati, May 26 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday fired a fresh salvo against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi over his alleged Pakistan links.
The Chief Minister quoted senior Congress leader Ripun Bora, stating that Bora had admitted to a serious breach of national security — that the British wife of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi was allegedly on the payroll of the Pakistani government.
“If this is indeed true,” Sarma wrote X, “it raises deeply alarming questions about national security.”
He emphasised that the presence of an individual allegedly connected to a hostile foreign power within the personal sphere of a sitting Member of Parliament “poses a serious and unacceptable threat to the integrity of India’s institutions.”
The claim, which has not yet been substantiated with evidence, has triggered concerns across party lines. Sarma stated that the government was not previously aware of these “shocking details,” but now that the matter is in the public domain, it is being examined with the gravity it warrants.
“National security is non-negotiable,” said the Chief Minister.
The Assam government will be recording Ripun Bora’s statement to verify the claims, and further action is expected. As of now, neither Gaurav Gogoi nor his wife has issued a public response.
The Congress on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Sarma, accusing him of attempting to discredit MP Gaurav Gogoi by portraying him as an ISI agent — a move the party alleges is driven by fears of losing the 2026 state elections.
Speaking at a press conference, senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora claimed that Sarma is unnerved by Gogoi’s rising popularity and sees him as a serious threat to his political future.
"Himanta Biswa Sarma is sure he will lose the election if Congress declares Gaurav Gogoi as its chief ministerial face. Gogoi’s growing acceptance across the state has clearly rattled him," said Bora.
Bora pointed to Gogoi’s victory in the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections — despite what he called a full-blown effort by the BJP to defeat him — as evidence of the MP’s growing political stature.
"The Chief Minister is trying to label Gogoi as an ISI agent without presenting any evidence. No one is taking these baseless claims seriously," Bora said.
Defending Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn, a British citizen employed by an international NGO with a presence in Pakistan, Bora dismissed any suggestion of wrongdoing.
"She may have worked in Pakistan or received a salary for that work. What’s wrong with that? Many Pakistanis legally work in India, too," he stated.
Drawing comparisons, Bora noted that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's wife is Japanese, and one of their children holds British citizenship.
"Does that make Jaishankar's patriotism questionable?" he asked, adding that even National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s family members have professional ties to Pakistan.
The Congress leader also explained that Gogoi’s children have retained British citizenship for practical reasons related to international travel, and currently reside with their mother.
Bora suggested that Sarma’s recent targeting of Gogoi may be linked to internal discussions within the Congress about appointing the MP as Assam Congress president.
"The moment Sarma sensed that Gaurav Gogoi could be elevated within the party, he brought up this Pakistan issue to derail his rise. The people of Assam will not fall for such tactics," Bora asserted.
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