Wife Went For A Climate Project In Pakistan, And I Accompanied Her: Gaurav Gogoi Responds To Assam CM Himanta's ISI Connection Claim

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi today (28 May) denied claims made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that his British wife Elizabeth Colburn had a relationship with Pakistan's ISI, referring to it as the "plot of a C-grade Bollywood movie."

Gogoi stated that his wife only stayed in Pakistan for a single year in 2013 when she was working on a global project in South Asia that addressed climate change.

As per a The Times Of India report, he said, "About 14-15 years ago, my wife — a well-known expert in public policy—was involved in an international initiative addressing climate change in South Asia. As part of that work, she spent a year in Pakistan and then came to India in 2012-13, where she has been working ever since. In 2015, she took up a new job."

"I accompanied her in 2013, about 12 years ago. The chief minister is trying to turn this into a C-grade Bollywood movie with a so-called release date of 10 September. This story is bound to be a complete flop. The people of Assam are already aware of the truth," Gogoi added.

Questioning the timing and purpose of the accusations, he said:

"Our counter-question is this: if, according to these accusations, my wife or I committed any wrongdoing or illegal act, then who has been in power for the last 11-12 years? What have the central agencies been doing all this time? Everyone is aware that crossing a national boundary entails a certain amount of inspection.

"As a leader of the opposition who speaks boldly and openly in Parliament, my biodata is known to everyone," he added.

Chief Minister Sarma responded to Gogoi's comments by praising the Congress MP's "admission" and asserting that there is solid proof of Gogoi's connections to the Pakistani elite.

"Finally, Congress MP Shri Gaurav Gogoi has admitted that he visited Pakistan. But let us be very clear — this is just the beginning, not the end," Sarma wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"What lies ahead is far more serious. There exists every reasonable ground, supported by credible inputs and documented information, to suggest that Shri Gogoi has maintained proximity with the Pakistani establishment. The Government of Assam, committed to transparency and accountability, will make everything public on 10 September , once the Special Investigation Team (SIT) concludes its comprehensive inquiry. The people of Assam and the nation deserve the truth - and they shall have it in full," he added.

"But the people will also not forget - nor forgive — the Congress party and Shri Rahul Gandhi for deliberately promoting such a dangerous and compromised individual into the public life of our country," Sarma added.