Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday dismissed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s allegations of his alleged “Pakistani links”, asserting that there was nothing in the police or SIT report to substantiate the claims. Gogoi said even after reading the report, the Chief Minister failed to find “a single page” of evidence against him.
The remarks came after Sarma demanded a “transparent explanation” from Gogoi over his alleged visit to Pakistan’s Rawalpindi district, claiming that his visa permitted travel only to Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said Pakistan’s immigration rules do not allow travel beyond visa-designated cities without specific authorisation.
‘Why Was The Report Hidden For Six Months?’
In an exclusive interview to ABP News, Gogoi said the Chief Minister appeared “restless” and was making accusations without evidence. He pointed out that Sarma had been raising the issue for over a year and had even constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which submitted its report in September.
“If there was any evidence, why didn’t he send the report to the Centre? Why did he sit on it for six months?” Gogoi asked, alleging that the issue was being revived now because elections are just two months away. He claimed the Chief Minister himself had read the report and found no proof, yet continued to level allegations.
Gogoi also attacked Sarma’s political credibility, referring to his past shifts between political parties and questioning his consistency, saying such a person should not be taken seriously.
Gogoi On Bank Account, Espionage Claims
Responding to claims about his wife’s alleged bank account in Pakistan, Gogoi said the Chief Minister was spreading falsehoods. He urged people to read the report themselves, claiming it clearly states that the account is closed and no money is being transferred. He further said the NGO his wife was associated with had worked in Gujarat during Narendra Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister, questioning whether that would make the Gujarat government suspect as well.
On allegations of spying for Pakistan, Gogoi said the Chief Minister was trivialising serious national security issues with baseless claims. “If the matter was so serious, why did he keep the report for six months?” he asked.
Gogoi also rejected claims that an Intelligence Bureau report was shared via email, questioning why such inputs were not forwarded to the Centre. He said the SIT never questioned him even once about his travel to Pakistan and accused the Chief Minister of raising these issues because the Congress was gaining political ground in Assam.
