Congress MP and Deputy Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, has dismissed the ISI link allegations leveled against his wife by the BJP and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as “baseless.”
“It is something laughable, the BJP has nothing to do. Someone’s land-grabbing cases are unearthed one after another, defamation cases are being filed one after another. These are baseless allegations without any substance. This shows their weakness and the fact that they are fast losing ground,” he said.
Referring to the alleged land-grabbing cases involving the Assam CM’s wife, Gogoi claimed that CM Sarma is tense as BJP state president Dilip Saikia would replace him in the coming few months.
“Those who make such allegations must see that their family is facing cases of land grabbing and is engaged in the debate of setting up a resort. The Assam Chief Minister is tense that the new BJP president, Dilip Saikia, will become Chief Minister in another two or three months. The BJP leadership in New Delhi knows about the land cases of the Sarma family, and he is worried about getting replaced. This is a ploy to save himself,” the Congress MP alleged.
His remarks came after BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Elizabeth Colebourn, wife of Mr Gogoi, had ties with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
“Very disturbing and serious facts have come to light that the Deputy Leader of Opposition, Gaurav Gogoi, and his wife have links with Pakistan and the ISI. I am saying this with some responsibility that Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn (sic), has links with Tauqir Sheikh (sic), who happens to be an advisor in the Pakistan Planning Commission,” he alleged.
“Very disturbing and serious facts have come to light that the Deputy Leader of Opposition, Gaurav Gogoi, and his wife have links with Pakistan and the ISI. I am saying this with some responsibility that Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn (sic), has links with Tauqir Sheikh (sic), who happens to be an advisor in the Pakistan Planning Commission,” he alleged.
“This is a serious issue that poses a threat to the national security of the country. Therefore, we wish to ask Mr Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge that Gaurav Gogoi needs to come out and give clear details of Elizabeth’s association with ISI and Pakistan… Why is Elizabeth Colburn working with Pakistani ISI agents?” the BJP spokesperson asked.
Without naming Gogoi or his wife, the Assam CM also made similar allegations, demanding “transparency and truth.”
“Serious questions need to be answered regarding allegations of ISI links, leading young individuals to the Pakistan Embassy for brainwashing and radicalization, and the refusal to take Indian citizenship for the past 12 years. Additionally, participation in a conversion cartel and receiving funds from external sources, including George Soros, to destabilize national security are grave concerns that cannot be ignored. At some point, accountability will be necessary. Simply deflecting responsibility or attempting to shift the focus onto others will not serve as an easy escape route. The nation deserves transparency and truth,” Sarma said.
Following Gogoi’s reaction, CM Sarma doubled down on his attack and shared an old picture of the Congress leader from a Pakistan High Commission event in 2015.
“In 2015, the Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Mr. Abdul Basit, invited a first-term Member of Parliament (MP) and his startup, Policy for Youth, to discuss India-Pakistan relations at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Notably, this MP was not a member of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs at the time, raising questions about the intent behind his engagement… Such a high-level interaction with the ambassador of an adversarial nation requires MEA approval and a post-meeting debriefing. Hope the Hon’ble MP complied with these requirements, as national security must always take precedence over politics,” he wrote in a post on X.