"Is It True That Your Wife...": Himanta Sarma vs Congress MP Turns Personal

The heated exchange between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi over the Enforcement Directorate's raids against illegal coal mining in the Northeastern state has taken a turn for the personal.

While Mr Sarma has alleged that Mr Gogoi's wife Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi receives salary from a Pakistan-based NGO and that she and their children are not Indian citizens, the Congress MP has hit back, questioning if the Chief Minister was ready for questions about his wife and children.

Earlier, Mr Gogoi said the Enforcement Directorate had "exposed Assam's illegal coal empire". "Rs 1.58 Crore cash seized. Fake invoices. 1200 tonnes of illegal coal extracted DAILY in Margherita, Jogighopa, Guwahati. All under the nose of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who kept denying illegal mining," he said in a post on X.

"Is this loot possible without the government's protection? Who is Assam's real Syndicate Raja? When ED raids & HC summons expose the truth, how long will the CM hide behind denials?" he added.

Mr Sarma said the Congress MP's remarks had exposed the Opposition party's stand on the Enforcement Directorate. "On one hand, @RahulGandhi and his camp are relentlessly maligning the ED, calling it a political tool. On the other hand, their own Deputy Leader is busy glorifying the very same agency. This doublespeak reflects the utter confusion and hypocrisy within Congress," he said.

The Chief Minister's attack then turned personal. Without naming Mr Gogoi, he posted questions for him. "Did you visit Pakistan for a continuous period of 15 days? If so, could you kindly 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, may we ask why a Pakistan-based organization is paying a salary 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 the citizenship of any other country? Many more questions will follow," he said.

The Congress MP from Jorhat responded with a list of questions. "Will you resign if you fail to prove your allegations of me and my wife being agents of an enemy country? Will you take questions on your own children and wife? Will the state police arrest those linked to coal mafia who make are ravaging the hills of Assam and making crores of undeclared money? Waiting for the SIT report to be submitted," he said.

Earlier, Mr Sarma, once a close aide of Mr Gogoi's father and former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, had said the state would witness a political storm due to Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi's alleged Pakistan links. "SIT has found many inputs regarding links of a number of Indian individuals with Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. The SIT has also found multiple links of Ali Sheikh in India, and more revelations will come up in the next few days," he said, adding that the SIT has been asked to complete the probe by September.

In his response to the Congress MP, Mr Sarma said, "I would like to clarify that neither I nor my son and daughter have ever visited Pakistan. Furthermore, my wife and our entire family would never even think of 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 surrendered or renounced Indian citizenship. Now, it is your turn to answer. In the coming days, sufficient material will be placed in the public domain exposing the connections between the concerned Congress Member of Parliament and Pakistan. Wait for 10th September 2025," he said.

The Assam Chief Minister also invoked the late Tarun Gogoi and said, "What can be more heartbreaking than late Tarun Gogoi's grandchildren not being Indian citizens? As our investigation digs deeper, more details are being unravelled."

Mr Gogoi said none of his questions were answered and added, "Wait for 2026". Assembly polls in Assam are due next year.

Mr Sarma's personal attack on Mr Gogoi and his wife, citing his alleged Pakistan links, comes amid nationwide outrage over the Pahalgam terror attack that left 25 tourists and a Kashmiri dead. Assam police has launched a crackdown against those making controversial remarks on the terror strike, with Mr Sarma stressing that "Assam will not tolerate any individual who, directly or indirectly, supports or defends Pakistan in connection with the heinous attack in Pahalgam". 

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