Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, left, and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
NEW DELHI: Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday slammed Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his recent allegations of Gogoi’s links with Pakistan, calling the claims “false” and saying the CM was sitting on the SIT report for six months as it had no evidence. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Gogoi said that his wife, Elizabeth Colburn, visited Pakistan in 2013 for work-related purposes, accompanied by him on the 10-day trip, and that he was never questioned for it.”He went to such a low level that he even disclosed information relating to my children. We also know about his children; everyone knows it, but we don’t want to disclose. He has proved that he is not the right person to be in the Chief Minister’s chair. What they are saying has shamed Assam. Why are they spreading false information? The Supreme Court should take a suo-motu case against it,” said the Congress leader, adding that he will look for legal measures against Sarma for remarks against his children.Gogoi demanded the release of the SIT report to prove his innocence. “From the beginning, I have been saying that I will not go against the SIT investigation. I would like the SIT report released. CM is not Chanakya.”Commenting on the timing of Sarma’s press conference, Gogoi said, “The main fact behind yesterday’s long press conference is the Congress party’s rising popularity… If it were a matter of national security, why was he sitting idle for the last six months?.. The CM was forced to hold a press conference after the Congress party disclosed that 12,000 bighas of land are held by the CM’s family.”Gogoi further accused Sarma of “inciting genocide” against Muslims through his social media videos.Also read | Pakistan firm hired Gogoi’s wife, salary paid by Ali Sheikh: Himanta’s big charge against Congress MPOn Sunday, CM Sarma levelled allegations against Gogoi that his British wife Elizabeth Colburn, and Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh shared a “deeper connection,” claiming that information from the Intelligence Bureau was secretly passed on to Pakistan. He also alleged that Gogoi undertook a “very confidential” visit to Pakistan in 2013 and was believed to have undergone “some kind of training,” daring the Congress leader to come clean on the trip or face charges of “rashtra-droh” (treason).Sarma further claimed that Colburn had worked with LEAD Pakistan, an organisation run by Sheikh, before transferring to India, and that she continued to receive salary from Sheikh, allegedly bypassing Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) rules. He said that after working in India, she gathered information and provided reports to Sheikh, and that Gogoi had failed to declare her Pakistani bank account in his election affidavit.