Guwahati, July 31: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday intensified his attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, indicating that the ongoing investigation into Gogoi’s alleged link to a Pakistani national may be handed over to a central agency such as the CBI or NIA after September 10.
Currently, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the suspected connection between Pakistan national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi. Sarma alleged that Colburn had associations with Sheikh and claimed the matter had national security implications.
“The Assam SIT has limited reach—we can only access telephonic records from the past two years. The NIA, however, can go back as far as 2011. Ultimately, since this relates to citizenship and OIC links, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has to take over,” Sarma said.
He confirmed that the SIT’s deadline ends on September 10, after which the report will be submitted—possibly by September 11 or 12—and placed before the Cabinet by September 15.
“We will not extend the SIT’s tenure. The Cabinet will decide whether to refer the case to the NIA, CBI, or MHA. So far, within their limitations, the SIT has done commendable work, especially in gathering manual evidence,” Sarma added.
Sarma also lashed out at Gaurav Gogoi’s remarks in Parliament, accusing him of speaking in a tone that benefits Pakistan.
“From his speech, it’s clear—he doesn’t love India. His wife is a foreign national, his children are foreigners, and I won’t be surprised if he changes his citizenship someday,” Sarma alleged.
He further criticised Gogoi for questioning the Indian Army’s missile launch decisions in Parliament.
“It is shameful that an MP from Assam—representing historic regions like Jorhat and Sivasagar, known for their contributions to India’s sovereignty—is now being celebrated in Pakistan,” Sarma said.
“Look at his parliamentary record since 2014—his speeches and questions seem designed to aid Pakistan’s narrative. Of course, he’s not a hero on Indian TV, but he is on Pakistani TV,” he said.
Sarma emphasised that Gogoi has never denied visiting Pakistan, leaving the Chief Minister to suggest the Congress MP was “living in India temporarily.”
Separately, Sarma echoed Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks in Parliament, criticising the Congress for allegedly coining the term “Hindu terror.”
“Hindu and terror are diametrically opposite. Our culture has never endorsed terrorism. That term was manufactured during Congress rule to appease a particular community,” Sarma said.
