'Will You Take Questions On Your Children And Wife?' Gaurav Gogoi, Himanta Biswa Sarma War Of Words Escalates

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The war of words between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Gaurav Gogoi has escalated and turned personal.

Sarma, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who ha been targeting Gogoi over his wife, Elizabeth Colburn's nationality for quite some time now has levelled a fresh charge that she receives salary from a Pakistan-based non profit and that she and their children are not Indian citizens. The Congress MP responded, wondering if the Chief Minister was ready to face questions about his wife and children.

“Will you take questions on your own children and wife?” Gogoi asked in a post on X, responding to Sarma's allegations about his Pakistan visit and his wife's connection with a Pakistan-based NGO.

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“What is the citizenship status of your wife and your two children? Are they Indian citizens, or do they hold the citizenship of any other country?” Sarma had asked in the post.

On April 24, Sarma made big claims about Gogoi , without naming the Congress leader, and alleged that he spent 15 days in Islamabad without informing the state government. He also alleged that the MP's wife, who worked in Delhi, received a salary from Pakistan for three years.

Sarma said that the matter is under investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and evidence has been found against the MP's wife.

While Sarma had been accusing Gogoi's wife of having Pakistan connections for several months, the comments on Thursday assumed significance as it came amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam district on April 22, that killed 26 civilians , mostly tourists.

Who is Elizabeth Colburn?

Elizabeth Colburn, an academic on international affairs, was born in the United Kingdom and married Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress MP from Jorhat in Assam, in 2013.

The controversy escalated in February this year when Sarma shared a 2015 photograph of Gaurav Gogoi meeting then Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basi at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Sarma questioned why an Indian MP was engaging with Pakistani officials at a time when he was not even part of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs.

Gogoi has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, calling them 'laughable.' He has accused the BJP of diverting attention from corruption allegations against the Assam government . Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh has also rejected the claims, calling them an 'atrocious smear campaign.'

ED raids in Assam

Earlier, Gogoi, deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha , said the Enforcement Directorate had 'exposed Assam's illegal coal empire'.

" ₹1.58 Crore cash seized. Fake invoices. 1200 tonnes of illegal coal extracted DAILY in Margherita, Jogighopa, Guwahati. All under the nose of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma , who kept denying illegal mining," he said in a post on X.

"Is this loot possible without the government's protection? Who is Assam's real Syndicate Raja? When ED raids & HC summons expose the truth, how long will the CM hide behind denials?" he asked.

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Sarma responded by saying that the the Congress MP's remarks had exposed the Opposition party's stand on the Enforcement Directorate. The Chief Minister's attack then turned personal. And without naming Gogoi, he posted questions for him.“Did you visit Pakistan for a continuous period of 15 days? If so, could you kindly clarify the purpose of your visit?” the CM asked.

Will you take questions on your own children and wife?

Sarma, once a close aide of Gaurav Gogoi's father and former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi , had said earlier that the state would witness a political storm due to Gaurav Gogoi's alleged Pakistan links.

(With agency inputs)

Key Takeaways

• Political accusations can escalate quickly, often becoming personal.
• Allegations regarding citizenship and international connections can have significant implications in political discourse.
• Media coverage of such controversies can influence public perception and political narratives.

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