Himanta vs Gogoi: Assam politics heats up with CM's explosive 'training in Pak' claim

NEW DELHI: Assam main curate Himanta Biswa Sarma connected Sunday escalated his onslaught connected Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, alleging a "deeper connection" betwixt Gogoi, his British woman Elizabeth Colburn and Pakistani nationalist Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, and hinting astatine imaginable charges of "rashtra-droh" (treason) if the Congress person failed to clarify his past sojourn to Pakistan.Addressing a property league up of the assembly elections, Sarma claimed that Gogoi had undertaken a "very confidential visit" to Pakistan successful December 2013 and was believed to person undergone “some benignant of training” during his 10-day stay. “He stayed determination for 10 days. Strangely, Gogoi was digitally soundless and nary societal media station was made. We fishy helium went done immoderate benignant of grooming successful that period,” the main curate said.Sarma further alleged that aft returning from Pakistan and aboriginal becoming an MP, Gogoi asked questions successful the Lok Sabha connected subject preparedness, information matters, defence hardware, atomic plants, espionage and the Kashmir conflict. “A first-time MP asking specified confidential questions, however tin it not beryllium linked to his Pakistan visit?” helium asked.“If Gogoi cannot travel retired cleanable connected his Pakistan stay, past charges of 'rashtra-droh' (treason) volition person to beryllium imposed connected him,” Sarma added.

Allegations implicit overseas linksThe main curate besides alleged that Colburn had worked with LEAD Pakistan, an organisation tally by Sheikh, earlier moving to India, and that her wage continued to beryllium paid by Sheikh adjacent portion she was moving successful the country. “But her wage continued to beryllium paid by Sheikh,” Sarma said.He claimed that LEAD Pakistan sent wealth to LEAD India, which past paid Colburn “bypassing FCRA regulations”, and suggested that peculiar support mightiness person been obtained during the UPA government’s tenure.

“Pakistani agencies cannot donate to an Indian entity arsenic it's an force nation. Probably peculiar support was obtained successful UPA clip to wage Colburn,” helium said.Sarma besides alleged that Colburn gathered accusation from Intelligence Bureau sources related to clime enactment aft Narendra Modi came to powerfulness and sent a “45-page report” to Sheikh. “Colburn got accusation from IB sources astir clime enactment aft Narendra Modi came to power.

She sent a 45-page study to Sheikh,” helium claimed.The main curate asserted that Colburn had travelled to Islamabad six times portion moving with LEAD India and 3 much times aft joining different NGO. He further alleged that she maintained a Pakistani slope relationship to person wage payments and that Gogoi did not notation this successful his predetermination affidavit. “Now, I consciousness his hostile should kick to the EC astir giving incorrect accusation successful the affidavit,” Sarma said.Sarma said the authorities authorities would question cancellation of Colburn’s Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status, claiming her beingness was detrimental to India.“We judge determination is simply a deeper transportation betwixt Gogoi, Colburn and Sheikh. We judge that Colburn and Sheikh were portion of an planetary conspiracy,” Sarma said. He added that the Assam Police had recommended a national-level probe by the ministry of location affairs, stating, “So we recommended a nationalist probe by the Ministry of Home Affairs.”Congress hits backGogoi, who is besides the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee chief, dismissed the property league arsenic politically motivated. “I pity the journalists from Delhi and Assam who had to endure the astir flop property league of the century. This was worse than a C people cinema,” helium wrote connected X portion the presser was underway.He described the allegations arsenic “Most mindless and bogus points” offered by the “so-called governmental shrewd” main curate and termed the occurrence a “#SuperFlop”“This #SuperFlop is successful opposition to our #XomoyParivartanYatra which has been a deed successful uncovering the 12,000 bighas of onshore occupied by the Chief Minister and his household members,” Gogoi said.Earlier successful the week, responding to akin allegations linking his woman to Pakistan’s quality bureau ISI, Gogoi said, “If my woman is an ISI cause of Pakistan, I americium a R&AW cause of India. I don't caput if a household against whom determination are assorted cases and respective allegations, makes allegations against me. The (Assam) main curate is making these allegations lone to enactment distant allegations against him.”Dismissing the charges arsenic “lies and rumours”, helium said, “Today, BJP doesn't person immoderate issues to raise.

They are babelike connected spreading lies. I consciousness that radical of the state are precise intelligent and they tin spot the quality betwixt lies and truth. Let them dispersed rumours, we volition proceed to bash our work.”Political backdropThe faceoff comes arsenic Assam prepares for assembly elections, with some the BJP and the Congress sharpening their campaigns. Sarma’s remarks people a important escalation, introducing allegations of nationalist security, overseas backing violations and imaginable treason into the electoral discourse.The BJP has framed the contented arsenic 1 involving imaginable overseas power and FCRA violations, portion the Congress has characterised the allegations arsenic diversionary tactics aimed astatine deflecting attraction from state-level issues and charges against the main minister.Sarma besides said the Assam Police’s Special Investigation Team did not question Gogoi straight “as helium is simply a sitting MP. We person near it to the Centre, showing immoderate respect to his position”.“If I apprehension Gogoi now, I volition beryllium accused of doing authorities earlier elections. Arresting is simply a harsh step. I consciousness Gogoi is the astir susceptible person successful India now, arsenic each his movements successful the 10-day enactment indispensable person been photographed and recorded successful Pakistan,” helium said.With the run intensifying, the allegations and counter-allegations person injected a crisp nationalist information magnitude into Assam’s electoral battle, mounting the signifier for a polarised contention successful the weeks ahead.