BJP alleges Gaurav Gogoi's wife has ISI links, Congress MP hits back
PTC News Desk: In a massive showdown between BJP and Congress, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's wife has links to Pakistan and its intelligence agency ISI while she worked with the Climate and Knowledge Development Network (CDKN) in Islamabad under Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a former advisor to the Planning Commission of Pakistan.
Sarma took a veiled dig at his former colleague and also flagged Gogoi's meeting with then Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Mr. Abdul Basit in 2015 despite government's objection.
In 2015, the Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Mr. Abdul Basit, invited a first-term Member of Parliament (MP) and his startup, Policy for Youth, to discuss India-Pakistan relations at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Notably, this MP was not a member of the… — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 13, 2025
"In 2015, the Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Mr. Abdul Basit, invited a first-term Member of Parliament (MP) and his startup, Policy for Youth, to discuss India-Pakistan relations at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Notably, this MP was not a member of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs at the time, raising questions about the intent behind his engagement," Sarma wrote on his social media X.
While retorting to the allegations, deputy leader in Lok Sabha has called the claims a mere 'smear campaign' ahead of Assam elections in 2026.
Assam chief minister also alleged that his wife who is a British citizen was employed under American senator who had close association with the Pakistani establishment and later spent time in Pakistan, employed by an organization widely believed to be a front for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
"Interestingly, these developments occurred immediately after his marriage to a British citizen with a professional background that raises further questions. Before their marriage, she had worked for an American senator known for close ties with the Pakistani establishment and later spent time in Pakistan, employed by an organization widely believed to be a front for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The timing of these events adds another layer of intrigue to the MP’s evolving political stance and actions," the post read.
The latest allegations stem from a slew of attacked that Sarma launched on Congress MP when he tweeted that IFS officers are permitted to marry foreign nationals based on the condition that the spouse must acquire Indian citizenship within six months. He said that the rule doesn't apply to lawmakers.
"Allowing a foreign spouse of a lawmaker to retain foreign citizenship for 12 years is far too long. Loyalty to the nation must always take precedence over all considerations," Sarma tweeted.
- PTC NEWS
