Guwahati, May 25: In a sharp escalation of political tensions, Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah on Sunday revealed that he instructed party MP Gaurav Gogoi not to respond to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s accusations regarding Gogoi’s controversial visit to Pakistan.
“Why should Gaurav Gogoi reply to Himanta Biswa Sarma?” Borah told reporters. “I clearly told him not to respond. The Chief Minister has already formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). If the SIT has been formed, why should Gogoi speak? Let the SIT do its job.”
Calling the Chief Minister’s actions politically motivated, Borah launched a direct attack, “I challenge Himanta Biswa Sarma. The SIT is his responsibility. Who is stopping it from doing its work? Let the SIT submit its report. The Chief Minister can do nothing to Gaurav Gogoi.”
Borah defended the Congress strongly, dismissing the notion that the party or its leaders would ever compromise with Pakistan. “Congress is not weak. Do you think Rahul Gandhi or Gaurav Gogoi will compromise with Pakistan? It’s laughable,” he said.
Borah further accused the Chief Minister of using the Gogoi controversy to divert attention from pressing public issues, particularly rising electricity bills and the controversial installation of smart meters.
“He’s using this black flag and Pakistan narrative to distract the people before elections,” Borah alleged. “No nationalist or student organization has shown black flags to Gaurav Gogoi—only BJP workers have. Even former BJP minister Rajen Gohain is praising Gogoi. It’s only Himanta and his camp who are targeting him.”
Reacting to Sarma’s repeated public statements on the issue, Borah said, “Big words and dramatic statements won’t help. If the Chief Minister really wants answers, he should have patience and wait for the SIT report. We welcome the SIT. But let it do its work without political interference.”
Borah concluded by reiterating the Congress party’s position on national security: “We have always maintained that India must respond firmly to Pakistan for attacks like the one in Pahalgam. Our stand on national interest is clear and unwavering.”
The war of words marks a deepening political divide ahead of upcoming electoral battles, as both parties gear up for high-stakes campaigning in Assam.
