Guwahati, Feb 9: Assam Congress President and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi on Monday strongly refuted allegations by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claiming “Pakistan links” and urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance over the disclosure of his children’s details to the media.
Sarma had cited a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe alleging connections between Gogoi, his British wife Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, and Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. At a press conference, Gogoi described the move as inappropriate and said it made Sarma unfit to hold the Chief Minister’s office.
“He stooped so low as to disclose my children’s information. We know about his children too, but we won’t reveal it. This shames Assam,” Gogoi said, calling for Supreme Court action.
Gogoi dismissed the allegations, pointing to the lack of evidence. He also questioned Sarma’s delay in releasing the SIT report, noting that the CM had held the report for six months and had promised its release on September 10 last year.
The Congress MP further alleged that Sarma’s family illegally owns 12,000 bighas (around 4,000 acres) of land in Assam and demanded the public release of the SIT report. “The real trigger was Congress’s rising popularity and our Parivartan Yatra exposing the land grab,” he said, adding that he is cooperating with the SIT and urging the people of Assam to judge the matter.
Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi criticized Sarma’s press conference as “propaganda” and “election drama,” comparing it to films like The Kerala Story and Kashmir Files. Bordoloi cited past visits by LK Advani and PM Modi to Pakistan as examples countering Sarma’s claims.
Sarma, in his press conference on Sunday, alleged that Elizabeth Colburn worked in Pakistan between March 2011 and 2012 and had connections with Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. He also referenced a photo of Gogoi at the Pakistan Embassy and linked it to Kargil martyr Captain Jintu Gogoi from Assam. The state cabinet has decided to refer the case to a central agency for further investigation.
