On May 29, 2025, at a press conference in Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made sensational claims against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, asserting that he possessed a report in which Gogoi allegedly confessed to having visited Pakistan alone, while his wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, remained in India.
Sarma alleged that Elizabeth had access to sensitive intelligence documents, which she used to advise Pakistani agents on climate change matters. He claimed the report was based on Intelligence Bureau (IB) documents, suggesting that Gogoi himself maintained links with the IB and advised undisclosed parties on whether to invest in India.
Sarma stated, “As the Chief Minister of Assam, I confirm that Gaurav Gogoi’s visit to Pakistan was for training, which had nothing to do with his wife, as she was not in Pakistan at the time. I have documents proving that his wife was involved in collecting various intelligence information. He is directly linked to Pakistan. I have the report in my hand, and I will reveal it on September 10, 2025, exposing their relationship with the Pakistan Army, the Interior Department of Pakistan, and how they were doing this for a climate lobby.” These explosive allegations have intensified an ongoing political controversy, adding new dimensions to Sarma’s earlier accusations against Gogoi.
Background of Himanta’s Allegations
The controversy erupted in February 2025 when Himanta Biswa Sarma accused Gaurav Gogoi of having ties to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), initially targeting Gogoi’s British wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi. Sarma claimed she maintained connections with a Pakistan-based non-governmental organization (NGO) and drew a salary from it while working in India, raising suspicions about possible ISI infiltration into the Assam Chief Minister’s Office during the tenure of Gogoi’s father, the late Tarun Gogoi, who served as Chief Minister from 2001 to 2016. By May 2025, Sarma escalated his accusations, alleging that Gogoi visited Pakistan at the invitation of its Ministry of Interior, which oversees the ISI. He claimed to possess “solid proof” of Gogoi’s prolonged stay in Pakistan and promised to unveil comprehensive evidence by September 10, 2025, after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) concluded its probe. The May 29 press conference raised further allegations, including Gogoi’s supposed confession and his wife’s alleged access to intelligence documents, which intensified political tensions and framed Gogoi as a national security risk.
Specific Allegations Against Gaurav Gogoi
Sarma accused Gaurav Gogoi of visiting Pakistan alone for 13–14 days on an ISI invitation, claiming the trip was for “training” with the Pakistani establishment, potentially including visits to sensitive sites like the Pakistan Army headquarters. He alleged that Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, a climate policy expert, accessed Indian intelligence documents and used them to advise Pakistani agents under the guise of climate change discussions.
Sarma further claimed that Elizabeth maintained ties with Pakistani climate expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, suggesting these connections implicated her in Pakistan’s intelligence network. Additionally, he accused Gogoi of taking approximately 90 young individuals to the Pakistan Embassy in India, many unaware of the visit’s purpose, implying an attempt to “brainwash and radicalize” them. Sarma also alleged that Gogoi raised parliamentary questions aligning with Pakistan’s narrative, particularly on India’s Rafale deal and defense deployments, and claimed that Gogoi’s son surrendered Indian citizenship for British citizenship, casting doubt on the family’s loyalty. He argued that Gogoi’s nomination to a Congress delegation on terrorism, proposed by Jairam Ramesh on May 17, 2025, was inappropriate given these alleged ties, vowing to resign if any accusation proved false.
Gaurav Gogoi’s Response
Gaurav Gogoi fiercely rejected Sarma’s allegations, labeling them baseless, malicious, and politically motivated. On May 28, 2025, he admitted to visiting Pakistan but provided no details, dismissing Sarma’s claims as a distraction from national unity efforts following a terror attack in Pahalgam. Gogoi denied any ISI or IB connections, calling the accusations “absurd” and likening them to a “C-grade movie plot.” He defended his wife, emphasizing that her British citizenship was not a crime and highlighting her embrace of Assamese culture, sharing a video of her singing a Bihu song in traditional attire. In an emotional Assamese letter, Gogoi praised her contributions as a mother and professional, accusing Sarma of dragging her into politics for electoral gain. He challenged Sarma to resign if the allegations proved false and expressed confidence that the SIT probe, initiated in February 2025, would clear his name. Gogoi also accused the BJP of targeting him for 13 years and promised legal action against what he called defamatory claims, particularly regarding the new allegations about his wife’s access to intelligence documents and his supposed IB links.
Political Context and Implications
Sarma’s allegations against Gogoi unfold against a backdrop of intense political rivalry between the BJP and Congress in Assam, with the 2026 Assembly elections approaching. As a former Congress leader who joined the BJP in 2015, Sarma has positioned himself as a vocal critic of the Congress, particularly targeting Gogoi, the son of a prominent Congress figure. The accusations aim to discredit Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, and weaken the opposition’s credibility. By framing Gogoi and his wife as national security threats, Sarma has escalated the stakes, potentially influencing public perception and electoral dynamics. The controversy also raises questions about the use of national security rhetoric in political battles, with Gogoi’s nomination to a terrorism-related delegation amplifying the debate. The SIT’s findings, due on September 10, 2025, will likely determine the trajectory of this dispute, which could escalate into a legal and political showdown, especially given the new claims about intelligence documents and IB connections.
Public and Political Reactions
Sarma’s allegations have polarized opinions, with BJP supporters amplifying his claims on platforms like X, portraying Gogoi as a compromised figure and praising Sarma for highlighting national security concerns. Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, have sidestepped direct engagement with the allegations, instead focusing on the procedural aspects of the delegation controversy. Gogoi’s supporters have rallied behind him, dismissing Sarma’s claims as a smear campaign. Public sentiment remains divided, with some viewing the accusations as a legitimate concern requiring investigation. In contrast, others view them as a political ploy to divert attention from governance issues, such as the alleged coal mafia in Assam, which Gogoi referenced in his counter-challenge. The new allegations about Elizabeth’s access to intelligence and Gogoi’s IB links have further fueled debates about the ethics of political accusations and the need for evidence-based claims.
The Role of the Special Investigation Team
In February 2025, the Assam government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate alleged links between Gogoi, his wife, and Pakistani entities, including Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, under charges of criminal conspiracy and endangering national unity. Sarma has pinned his credibility on the SIT’s findings, promising to release “credible inputs and documented information” by September 10, 2025, to substantiate his allegations, including the new claims from the May 29 press conference. He insists that the probe will reveal the full extent of Gogoi’s ties to Pakistan’s establishment and his wife’s alleged intelligence activities, ensuring transparency for the people of Assam and India. Gogoi, meanwhile, has expressed confidence that the SIT will exonerate him and his wife, framing the investigation as an opportunity to expose Sarma’s claims as baseless. The SIT’s report will play a pivotal role in resolving this high-stakes controversy.
Sarma’s allegations, including the new claims about Gogoi’s confession and his wife’s intelligence activities, remain unproven pending the SIT’s findings, and the lack of concrete evidence thus far fuels skepticism about their validity. Gogoi’s admission of a visit to Pakistan, without clarification, adds ambiguity, but his categorical denial of ties to the ISI and IB strengthens his defense. The personal attacks on Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, particularly regarding her citizenship and alleged access to intelligence, appear designed to cast suspicion but lack substantiation. The political context, marked by Sarma’s history with Congress and the upcoming elections, suggests a strategic motive behind the accusations. The controversy highlights the risks of using national security as a political tool, particularly without verified evidence. The SIT’s report, scheduled for release on September 10, 2025, will be crucial in determining whether Sarma’s claims are substantiated or if Gogoi’s call for legal action gains traction.
Himanta Biswa Sarma’s allegations against Gaurav Gogoi, intensified by his May 29, 2025, press conference, have thrust Assam’s political landscape into turmoil, accusing the Congress MP and his wife of compromising national security through alleged ties to Pakistan’s ISI, intelligence leaks, and connections with the IB. Sarma’s promise to unveil evidence by September 10, 2025, via the SIT probe has heightened anticipation, while Gogoi’s robust denial and legal threats signal a fierce counteroffensive. The controversy, rooted in personal and political rivalries, questions the Congress party’s leadership and India’s national security discourse. As the SIT’s deadline approaches, the nation awaits clarity on whether Sarma’s accusations will expose a “dangerous and compromised” figure, as he claims, or collapse under scrutiny, vindicating Gogoi and reshaping Assam’s political narrative.
