Congress Assam President Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday refuted the allegations made by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma that his wife Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi ‘got salary from Pakistan.’
Following a press conference in Assam on Sunday, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma told ANI: “Gaurav Gogoi’s wife worked initially in Pakistan in a particular organisation. After marriage, she joined in India. But she continued to be managed by the Pakistani authority and she used to get salary from Pakistan through a pass-through mechanism.”
Gogoi refuted the CM’s claims, describing them as “mindless” and “bogus,” via post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Sarma also made similar claims while addressing the press conference in Assam. He claimed that Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi worked in Pakistan from March 18, 2011, to March 17, 2012, and her family had close ties with Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. He claimed that Ali Tauqeer Sheikh was allowed to visit India 13 times under the UPA government, reported ANI.
Himanta Biswa Sarma’s claims
— Slamming Gogoi’s wife over her alleged links to Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Sarma claimed the Congress leader attempted to legitimise the neighbouring country.
— He claimed that Elizabeth Gogoi used to pass on the Centre’s climate action reports to Sheikh.
— Sarma alleged Gogoi’s wife visited Pakistan nine times from India, and also took Gaurav Gogoi to Pakistan.
— “The most important and damaging thing that Ali Tauqeer was doing through Elizabeth. She used to gather various activities surrounding India, including climate actions, the Indian government’s response to climate, and how things can be done. She used to give reports to Ali Tauqeer. On August 5, 2014 sent a report to him. The report is very important. She got information from IB in reference to a secret IB report. That we have to adopt a new strategy – low risk, low visibility, that after PM Modi came to power, the climate action group will not have a field day, so we have to change the strategy. She said that now we have to change strategy, we have to bypass the Central government for our activity in India,” ANI quoted the Assam CM as saying.
What Gaurav Gogoi said?
Following the press conference, Gaurav Gogoi posted a strongly worded note on X, claiming that the Assam CM has “embarrassed himself on the stage in front of local and national media.”
“After 2.5 hours press conference even the journalists in the room remain unconvinced. Nobody in Assam is taking his words seriously. #SuperFlop He should rather explain how and his family managed to acquire 12,000 bighas or 4000 acres of prime property across Assam. When we will come to power , we will take those lands and distribute amongst the poor and landless. #XomoyParivartan,” read the CM’s post.
Last year, in May, Sarma had doubled down on his allegations against Gogoi, asserting that he and his wife maintain close ties with Pakistan’s establishment. “I have documents to prove his (Gogoi) wife’s involvement in collecting Indian Intelligence input. I will reveal details on September 10,” the CM had said that time.
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