Guwahati, March 25: Assam Congress president and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi on March 25 dismissed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent allegations linking him and his wife to Pakistan as a “wild theory,” asserting that the claims reflect the chief minister’s “weakness” on a sensitive national security issue.
Speaking to reporters, Gogoi differentiated the accusations against him from those levelled by the Congress against Sarma. He described the claims involving Pakistan and his British wife, Elizabeth Clare Gogoi, as “fiction,” arguing that Sarma was “peddling national security as a wild theory to fulfil his larger scheme of things.” In contrast, he said, Congress allegations against the chief minister concern family wealth, corruption, and alleged preferential treatment of his wife’s company, backed by publicly available records and ongoing legal proceedings.
Gogoi criticised the state government for creating a climate of fear, stating that dissent is being suppressed, with critics facing legal action or exclusion from schemes. He said the episode highlighted Sarma’s “insecurities” and reinforced his family’s resolve, adding that the attacks had made them realise “what a strong family we are.” He also noted that his wife had confronted the allegations “very strongly.”
On the political front, Gogoi expressed confidence in the Congress-led opposition alliance of six parties, including Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI(M), APHLC, and CPI(ML), describing it as a “rainbow coalition” with complementary ideological positions. He emphasised that voters would judge parties based on “moral courage” in the upcoming Assembly elections, highlighting the Congress’s commitment to governance reforms, industrial growth, and a constructive approach to state administration.
Invoking the legacy of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, he said the people of Assam remember “the way he brought Assam out of insurgency and established peace,” suggesting that the Congress aims to continue a focus on stability and development while countering what he described as “dirty politics” by the current government.
The allegations by Sarma have prompted the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the claims, adding to heightened political tension in the state ahead of the elections.
