Guwahati, Feb 17 (IANS) In response to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s series of allegations against Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi about having Pakistani links, the Member of Parliament from Jorhat constituency on Monday asserted that he is open to investigation regarding this.
CM Sarma earlier raised questions why the Congress MP went to meet the Pakistan High Commissioner and asked questions in the Parliament regarding national security and defence following that meeting.
Speaking to reporters here, Gogoi said: “The visit to Pakistan High commissioner Abdul Basit was a customary thing and there was nothing to hide. A lot of BJP MPs have asked similar questions that I raised in Parliament. However, I am always open to any investigation, and it is the Assam government’s duty to conduct the investigation.”
Hitting back to Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Congress leader said: “The Chief Minister must answer about his visits to Bangladesh, Dubai and Singapore.”
According to Gogoi, the BJP is set to be ousted from power in Assam in next year’s Assembly election and Sarma has already sensed his imminent defeat.
He said: “The CM has been constantly posting against me on Facebook, X platform, because he knows that the people of Assam is fed up with style of politics and the BJP would be voted out of power in next year’s Assembly polls.”
The Assam Police have lodged an FIR against Pakistani national Ali Sheikh, with whom Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife Elizabeth Gogoi had close professional connection that raised the probability of Pakistani links with the Congress leader.
The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting on Monday under the chairmanship of CM Sarma.
“Ali Sheikh served in Pakistan in various positions in committees formed by the government of Pakistan. It appears that Sheikh has been in contact with Elizabeth Gogoi a British national and wife of MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi. Elizabeth, a British national, worked with Sheikh,” the Assam chief minister said.
The CM asserted: “Given broader national security concerns, the Cabinet has directed the DGP to register a case against Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and investigate a deep eco-system.”
He further stated that when Elizabeth was about to be engaged with Gaurav Gogoi, the son of late former Chief Minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi, she had unlimited access to the CM residence.
“The probe team will investigate this aspect too.”
Moreover, the Chief Minister said that Elizabeth, being a British national participated in election process in India and the state government will take this matter with the Union government.
Sarma also said: “Historically, Assam is a hot bed for ISI and other terrorist organizations that were active in Bangladesh and Pakistan.”
–IANS
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