Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent accusations drew a sharp rebuttal on Tuesday from Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, who rejected the alleged links to Pakistan’s ISI and reminded the public of previous visits to the neighboring country by senior BJP leaders.
Sarma had earlier accused Gogoi of visiting Pakistan on an ISI invitation and alleged that he worked closely with the Pakistani establishment.
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Responding to these charges, Gogoi pointed out that several BJP leaders, including veteran LK Advani, had also visited Pakistan. “In 2005, LK Advani visited Pakistan, offered a ‘chadar’ at Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s grave, and even eulogised him,” Gogoi said.
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He further reminded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore in 2015 to attend former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s birthday celebration.
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Gogoi also cited former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh’s controversial book praising Jinnah and mentioned that the Modi government had invited a Pakistani investigation team including an ISI officer to probe the Pathankot terror attack.
Clarifying his own 2015 visit to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, Gogoi said he had gone as part of a youth delegation and that the Indian government was fully aware of the visit. “I even submitted a copy of my passport,” he said, calling Sarma’s claims that the Indian youth were “brainwashed” a “big lie.”
Gogoi also emphasized that during the visit, he openly challenged Pakistan’s position on terrorism. “I wrote articles declaring I had no faith in the Pakistani establishment due to the military’s ties with terror outfits,” he said.
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Addressing allegations about links to Pakistan through his wife Elizabeth Colburn, Gogoi said he was open to any investigation. “I’m ready for a probe by an SIT or the Assam government. Why wait until September?” he asked.
He also took a jab at the Assam Chief Minister, saying, “Himanta Biswa Sarma is known for making thousands of false claims. He hasn’t disclosed details of his own Bangladesh visit.”
In response, Sarma maintained that the state government possesses “documentary evidence” against Gogoi, which he said would be released to the public by September 10 after proper verification.