Assam Chief Minister Criticizes Jairam Ramesh Over Gaurav Gogoi's Alleged Pakistan Ties
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Synopsis
On February 16, Assam's CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh clashed on X over allegations linking Gaurav Gogoi and his wife to Pakistan. Sarma announced a Special Investigation Team to probe the claims, while Ramesh denounced the accusations as a smear campaign.
Key Takeaways
- CM Sarma confronts Jairam Ramesh over Gaurav Gogoi's claims.
- A Special Investigation Team is being formed to examine the allegations.
- Ramesh defends Gogoi, labeling the accusations as politically motivated.
- Legal actions are anticipated from both sides in this escalating dispute.
- The controversy arises ahead of Assam's 2026 elections.
Guwahati, Feb 16 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and senior Congress figure Jairam Ramesh found themselves in a heated exchange on the social media platform X over accusations involving Gaurav Gogoi and his wife's alleged connections to Pakistan.
In a post on X, CM Sarma took a shot at Ramesh and Gogoi.
Responding to Jairam Ramesh, CM Sarma stated, "The determination of who will be the former or current Chief Minister rests with the people of Assam, not you. While I prefer not to bring up the significant defeats Congress has suffered since 2014, we are committed to our duty to safeguard the nation's security as long as we hold power. Therefore, I urge the concerned MP to pursue legal action swiftly so that this matter can be addressed in a court of law. I openly welcome any legal proceedings against me. The Assam government is also commencing legal actions today."
The Chief Minister has convened a Cabinet meeting on Sunday to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) tasked with investigating the alleged Pakistan connections of Gaurav Gogoi and his wife, Elizabeth Gogoi, and the state government plans to file an FIR against the Congress MP.
Jairam Ramesh criticized CM Sarma in his X post, asserting, "The Assam CM and the BJP have initiated a despicable smear campaign aimed at my colleague @GauravGogoiAsm. This is the worst form of character assassination. Legal measures will be taken immediately. This smear campaign is a reaction to Gaurav Gogoi winning the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat in June 2024, despite the Assam CM and other Ministers campaigning against him in Jorhat."
"It also stems from the fact that the Jorhat MP has been at the forefront in exposing the blatant corruption and misdeeds of the Assam CM. Like his Supreme Leader in New Delhi, the Assam CM has become a master of defamation, distortion, and diversion. He is desperately trying to distract the people of Assam from his failures and false claims. But in about a year, the people of Assam will see him as a former CM and will push his party into the opposition," Ramesh added.
In a series of posts on X, CM Sarma previously intensified his criticisms of Gogoi, accusing him of ties that could jeopardize national security.
The allegations center on Elizabeth Colbourn, a British citizen, and her extensive history of working with entities purportedly linked to Pakistani intelligence.
CM Sarma asserts that Elizabeth, even after marrying Gaurav Gogoi, maintained her UK citizenship for 12 years and collaborated closely with individuals associated with Pakistan's ISI.
Sarma raised significant questions regarding why Elizabeth has yet to acquire Indian citizenship after 12 years of marriage to an Indian national.
Meanwhile, Gaurav Gogoi has strongly contested these allegations, labeling them as a smear campaign in advance of Assam's 2026 elections.
He dismissed the accusation regarding his wife's ISI connections as "ridiculous" and claimed these assertions are politically charged.
