Did Gaurav Gogoi Really Skip Republic Day Celebrations?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Guwahati, Jan 26 (NationPress) The Assam branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ramped up its political critique against Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, accusing him of missing the Republic Day celebrations, a claim that has not been officially countered by Congress.
In a post shared on the social media platform X, BJP Assam stated, “We are officially reporting a missing person. On this Republic Day of India, the citizens of Assam have been unable to find Gaurav Gogoi, who should be celebrating this significant day for our nation.”
The post further noted that while Gogoi is not mandated to observe Republic Day, the party expressed hope of being “proven wrong,” adding that even “one photograph of him raising the National Flag would suffice.”
State Minister Pijush Hazarika also took to X, asserting that sources from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee confirmed that their president did indeed miss the Republic Day festivities in Guwahati.
“My contacts in @INCAssam verified that their President skipped Republic Day events in Guwahati,” Hazarika wrote.
This latest accusation is part of a broader BJP campaign targeting Gogoi regarding his alleged connections to Pakistan, a topic that has significantly influenced Assam’s political landscape recently.
BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, have repeatedly accused Gogoi of having dubious ties linked to Pakistan, questioning his political motives and credibility.
Gogoi and Congress have categorically denied these allegations, labeling them as unfounded, politically motivated, and a distraction from pressing governance issues.
The Congress leadership has charged the BJP with wielding nationalism as a political instrument to malign opponents, particularly as crucial elections approach.
Political analysts observe that the controversy surrounding Republic Day is part of a larger BJP strategy to keep the focus on Gogoi, who is perceived as a pivotal Congress figure in Assam.
The party has consistently scrutinized his public stances on national security and foreign policy, linking them to their assertions of ties with Pakistan.
As the exchange of barbs intensifies on social media and public forums, the absence or presence of political leaders at national celebrations has once again emerged as a contentious issue in Assam’s deeply divided political arena.