Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma sparked a political debate on Sunday by alleging that Congress president Gaurav Gogoi may have connections with influential figures in Pakistan, raising questions about national security.
During a press briefing at the Lok Sabha Bhawan, Sarma alleged that Gogoi and members of his family might have connections with people whose activities could threaten India. He criticized the Congress party for allegedly protecting Gogoi despite these supposed links, and specifically pointed to the family’s association with Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a Pakistani national with strong political and military connections.
Sarma also mentioned Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colebourn, claiming she spent a year in Pakistan from March 2011 to March 2012 and was involved with an organization called Lead Pakistan, reportedly led by Sheikh.
According to the Chief Minister, the NGO worked on projects like the Indus Water Agreement, which he said Pakistan used strategically under the guise of environmental programs.
He further alleged that Sheikh showed particular interest in Assam and monitored certain communities in the state, while publicly acknowledging Gogoi’s actions in Delhi.
The Chief Minister added that Sheikh had tagged Colebourn on several social media posts, which were later deleted after Assam Police began their investigation, suggesting an attempt to remove evidence. Sarma stressed that the matter is not merely political but involves both security and diplomatic issues.
Investigators are now reviewing a photograph of Gogoi at the Pakistan Embassy and looking into potential connections between his family and Pakistani nationals.