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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi engaged in a heated exchange of allegations on social media regarding Gogoi's family's alleged connections with Pakistan.

Sarma, in a veiled attack, questioned Gogoi about whether he had spent a continuous 15 days in Pakistan and claimed that Gogoi's wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, receives a salary from a Pakistani NGO. He also raised concerns about the citizenship status of Gogoi's wife and children.

In a post on X, Sarma posted a series of questions for Gogoi: “Did you visit Pakistan for a continuous period of 15 days? If so, could you clarify the purpose of your visit? Is it true that your wife continues to receive a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while residing and working in India? If so, why is a Pakistan-based organization paying her for activities conducted in India? What is the citizenship status of your wife and your two children? Are they Indian citizens or do they hold citizenship from another country? Many more questions will follow.”

Gogoi quickly responded, challenging Sarma to answer questions regarding his own family: “Will you resign if you fail to prove your allegations about me and my wife being agents of an enemy country? Will you take questions about your own children and wife? Will the state police arrest those linked to the coal mafia who are ravaging the hills of Assam and generating crores of undeclared money? I'm waiting for the SIT report to be submitted.”

Gogoi referred to the findings of the Enforcement Directorate, which indicated rampant illegal rat hole quarrying in Meghalaya, connected to a syndicate involving individuals from both states that facilitated the transportation of illegal coal across the borders.

In his response, Sarma clarified, “I would like to state that neither I, nor my son and daughter, have ever visited Pakistan. Furthermore, my wife and our entire family would never consider accepting any salary or financial support from Pakistan. All members of my family, including my wife, son, and daughter, are Indian citizens. None of my children has ever renounced their Indian citizenship. Now, it is your turn to answer. In the coming days, I will provide sufficient evidence exposing the connections between the Congress Member of Parliament and Pakistan. Wait for September 10, 2025.”

The BJP has accused Gogoi’s wife of having ties with Pakistan and the ISI, which Gogoi has described as “laughable and entertaining.” They have also alleged that Gogoi visited the Pakistan High Commission after being elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014, without seeking permission from the Lok Sabha Speaker, Home Ministry, or other relevant authorities. After this visit, Gogoi's organization, ‘Policy for Youth,’ published an article accusing BSF personnel of misconduct with “illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.”

Earlier in February, Sarma had questioned a meeting that Gaurav Gogoi had with the then Pakistan High Commissioner to India ten years ago. The state government subsequently formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the alleged involvement of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who is claimed to have links with Gogoi’s British wife, Elizabeth Colburn, in India's internal affairs.

Sarma's personal attacks on Gogoi and his wife, citing alleged links to Pakistan, follow the recent Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, mostly tourists.

Who Is Elizabeth Gogoi?

Elizabeth Gogoi, born Elizabeth Colbourn in the UK, holds a Master’s degree in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics (LSE). She married Gaurav Gogoi in 2013 and previously worked with the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN). According to her author profile on the CDKN website, her last article was published in 2014, and she coordinated the organization's work in India and Nepal.

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