“Himanta Sarma Is Not Chanakya”: Gaurav Gogoi Hits Back Over ‘Pak Link’ Allegations

The charges stem from findings presented by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which Gogoi claims produced “no evidence whatsoever.”

Top Summary

What happened: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma accused Gaurav Gogoi and his family of links with a Pakistani national; Gogoi rejected the SIT findings and demanded accountability.

Why it matters now: The disclosure of Gogoi’s children’s details has triggered outrage, prompting calls for Supreme Court intervention.

What changes for people: The clash heightens political tensions ahead of Assembly polls, shaping narratives around nationalism, security, and land corruption allegations.

Who is affected: Assam voters, Congress leaders, BJP leadership, the SIT, and central investigative agencies that may take over the probe.

The allegations — surfacing just weeks before elections — have intensified a high-voltage political confrontation in Assam, with both parties accusing each other of propaganda and misconduct.

Gogoi’s counterattack: “This has shamed Assam”

Addressing reporters in Guwahati, Gogoi accused Sarma of:

Revealing personal information about his children

Weaponising an SIT report that “lacks evidence”

Remaining silent for six months despite claiming national security implications

Gogoi said:

“He is not the right person to be in the Chief Minister’s chair.

The Supreme Court should take suo motu cognisance.”

He further asserted that the Congress will not obstruct any investigation and demanded the public release of the SIT report.

Congress links allegations to land-grab charges

Gogoi and Congress leaders say the timing of the accusations is political, pointing to their claims that:

Sarma’s family illegally held 12,000 bighas (nearly 4,000 acres) of land across Assam

The SIT revelations were used to distract from corruption allegations

Rising public support for the Congress’s “Parivartan Yatra” has rattled the ruling party

Gogoi said:

“The main fact behind this long press conference is the Congress party’s rising popularity.”

Pradyut Bordoloi: “Cinema before elections”

Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi dismissed Sarma’s allegations as:

“Propaganda”

“Cinema” similar to political messaging seen in The Kerala Story or The Kashmir Files

An attempt to “paint Gaurav Gogoi as a Pakistani agent”

He pointed out that top BJP leaders — including LK Advani (2005) and Narendra Modi (2015) — had also visited Pakistan, underscoring the inconsistency in Sarma’s rhetoric.

What Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged

Sarma claimed:

Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi worked in Pakistan from March 18, 2011 to March 17, 2012

The family had close connections with Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh

A photo of Gogoi at the Pakistan Embassy raised “questions of legitimacy”

Former Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit visited Assam around the same period

He announced that the matter may be handed over to a central agency, pending approval.

Election-season optics

The exchange comes roughly 50–60 days before Assembly polls, magnifying its political impact. Analysts say:

The issue may shape voter perception around nationalism

Congress’s land-grab allegations add further complexity

SIT transparency — or lack thereof — could become a major campaign narrative