Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has raised concerns regarding the Congress party’s nomination of Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi for a delegation tasked with briefing foreign nations on Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism. This delegation initiative is a response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor strikes.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju requested Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to provide a list of four MPs for these delegations.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh disclosed on X that Mr. Gandhi submitted the names of Mr. Gogoi, former Union Minister Anand Sharma, Rajya Sabha member Syed Naseer Hussain, and Lok Sabha member Raja Brar.
Chief Minister Sarma, in a post on X, questioned Mr. Gogoi’s inclusion, citing allegations of a prolonged stay in Pakistan and claims that Mr. Gogoi’s wife received a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while working in India. He urged Mr. Gandhi to reconsider Mr. Gogoi’s nomination due to national security concerns.
The Chief Minister has previously accused Mr. Gogoi of meeting a Pakistan Army officer during a visit to Pakistan and of facilitating the “radicalization” of 90 boys and girls at the Pakistani Embassy in New Delhi. Additionally, Mr. Gogoi has been accused of raising sensitive defense-related questions in Parliament after his marriage to a British national.
An Assam Police special investigation team is currently investigating these allegations and is expected to submit its findings in September.