"Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi resided in Pakistan, his spouse reportedly received payment from a Pakistani NGO: aggressive comments by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma"
In a spectacular turn of events, Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken his sparring with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi to new heights. It all started when Sarma, in a direct shot, questioned Gogoi's prolonged stay in Pakistan and accused his wife of drawing a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO.
After Congress MP Jairam Ramesh shared the list of four MPs the party had chosen to shape global opinion on India's war against terrorism, Sarma expressed displeasure over one of the names on the list. He claimed that Gogoi had failed to deny his extended visit to Pakistan and produced documents suggesting that Gogoi's wife had been earning from a Pakistan-based NGO during her time in India.
The Chief Minister of Assam urged Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to refrain from assigning such delicate and strategic tasks to individuals like Gogoi, citing national security concerns and politics aside.
What Ramesh Had to Say
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh had revealed that the party had forwarded the names of four MPs to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju to explain India's stance on terrorism stemming from Pakistan. The list included former Union Minister Anand Sharma, Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, Rajya Sabha MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, and Lok Sabha MP Raja Brar.
Tharoor, Sule, and Kanimozhi to Redefine India's War on Terror Perspective
The controversy had its roots in previous allegations made by Sarma about Gogoi's connections to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the surrendering of Gogoi's children's Indian passports. He challenged Rahul Gandhi to clarify whether Gogoi's trip to Pakistan was a criminal offense, emphasizing the need for the Congress party's stance on the matter.
According to Sarma, Gogoi took around 90 young individuals to the Pakistan Embassy during his return, many of whom were unaware of the purpose of their visit. He also hinted that Gogoi's parliamentary questions inadvertently supported Pakistan's narrative.
In response, Gogoi accused Sarma of engaging in petty politics at a time when the whole country was united against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. He, along with the rest of the country, supported India's retaliation and the subsequent Operation Sindoor.
A Social Media Tussle
Sarma posed three pointed questions for Gogoi on social media that did not mention Gogoi by name, only as an MP from the Congress Party. The questions revolved around Gogoi's purported 15-day visit to Pakistan, his wife's earnings from a Pakistan-based NGO, and the citizenship status of his children.
Gogoi replied to Sarma's questions, posing his own counter-questions for Sarma, which included demanding that Sarma resign if he cannot prove his allegations and asking Sarma to address the coal mafia issue in Assam. Gogoi is also awaiting the findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) which was formed after an FIR was registered against a Pakistani climate expert and "unknown others."
Sarma defended himself, claiming that neither he nor his family had ever visited Pakistan, and his children had never surrendered their Indian citizenship. He challenged Gogoi to provide evidence to the contrary and set a deadline for making the evidence public.
- Despite the ongoing political spat between Himanta Biswa Sarma and Gaurav Gogoi, the recent episode has also involved discussions in the realm of finance, as Sarma produced documents suggesting that Gogoi's wife had been earning from a Pakistan-based NGO.
- The debate on the interplay of politics and national security extends to the financial sector as well, with Sarma urging Rahul Gandhi to consider the consequences of assigning sensitive tasks to individuals like Gogoi, citing potential concerns in global financial markets.
- The allegations and counter-allegations in this spat have also expanded into the realm of general news and crime and justice, as Gogoi accused Sarma of engaging in petty politics, particularly with regards to the citizenship status of his children and the surrendering of his children's Indian passports.
