New Delhi: In a sharp rebuttal to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s sensational claims about his wife’s alleged links with Pakistan’s ISI, Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday described the accusations as a desperate political ploy and likened them to the “plot of a C-grade Bollywood movie”.
Addressing the matter publicly for the first time, Gogoi clarified that his wife Elizabeth Colburn spent just one year in Pakistan in 2013 as part of an international climate change project. He added that the trip was purely professional and involved work on a South Asian initiative aimed at addressing environmental challenges.
Gogoi’s attack on Biswa Sarma
“About 14–15 years ago, my wife — a respected professional — participated in an international climate change programme that included a brief posting in Pakistan. She arrived in India in 2012–13 and has been working here since. In 2015, she took up a new role within India. I accompanied her for a short while in 2013,” Gogoi said.
Taking aim at the Assam CM’s allegations, Gogoi said, “The chief minister is trying to turn this into a C-grade Bollywood movie with a so-called release date of September 10. This story is bound to be a complete flop. The people of Assam are already aware of the truth.”
The Congress leader also questioned the timing and intent behind the accusations, implying political motives. “If there was any wrongdoing or illegality, who has been in power for the last 11–12 years? What have the central agencies been doing all this time? The kind of scrutiny that exists at international borders is no secret,” he said.
Sarma doubles down claims
Gogoi further defended his public record, saying, “As a vocal opposition leader in Parliament, my biodata is well known to all. These are mere distractions.”
Meanwhile, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma doubled down on his claims, taking to social media platform X to suggest that Gogoi’s statement was an “admission” of his visit to Pakistan. “Let us be very clear — this is just the beginning, not the end,” Sarma wrote. “There exists every reasonable ground, supported by credible inputs and documented information, to suggest that Shri Gogoi has maintained proximity with the Pakistani establishment.”
Sarma reiterated that the Assam government will reveal all details on September 10, following the conclusion of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry. He also criticised the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi for allegedly promoting a “dangerous and compromised individual”.
