• By Imran Zafar
  • Thu, 13 Feb 2025 09:11 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

The BJP on Wednesday alleged that Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn, had links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan Planning Commission. The accusations were made by BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, who claimed that Elizabeth Colburn was associated with Pakistan Planning Commission Advisor Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and that US investor George Soros funded the organisation she worked for.

Gaurav Bhatia termed the alleged links a matter of national security and demanded clarification from the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Gaurav Gogoi himself. He also questioned whether Gogoi should continue as the deputy leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, given his access to sensitive security information.

In response, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi rejected the allegations as "laughable and entertaining." He accused the BJP of resorting to a "smear campaign" due to a lack of real issues to raise. Gogoi pointed out that a similar campaign was launched against him and his family ahead of the last Lok Sabha elections, yet the people of Jorhat had elected him as their representative.

Mocking the accusations, Gogoi stated, "If my wife is an ISI agent of Pakistan, then I am a R&AW agent of India." He further alleged that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was making such claims only to divert attention from corruption charges against his own family.

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also weighed in, raising concerns about "foreign influence" and "radicalization." In a post on X, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that serious questions needed to be answered about "leading young individuals to the Pakistan embassy for brainwashing and radicalization" and the refusal to take Indian citizenship for the past 12 years.

He further alleged that participation in a "conversion cartel" and receiving funds from George Soros to destabilise national security were issues of grave concern. He warned that accountability would eventually be necessary and that the nation deserved transparency on the matter.

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Countering the BJP’s claims, Gaurav Gogoi alleged that the ruling party was trying to shift attention away from corruption allegations against Assam’s leadership. He stated that reports of land scams involving Sarma’s family had reached BJP leaders in Delhi and fearing consequences, the chief minister had resorted to spreading misinformation.

Gogoi asserted that the people of Assam were aware of the truth and would respond appropriately when the time came. He also suggested that the BJP’s attacks indicated insecurity ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, as public faith in the ruling party was declining.