‘Going to Pakistan is a crime’: Himanta Biswa Sarma attacks Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi

Sarma had said that ‘sufficient material’ will be placed in the public domain, ‘exposing’ the connections between Gaurav Gogoi and Pakistan.

Published on: May 5, 2025, 07:03:53 IST

By HT News Desk

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Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday warned Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi of action for the latter's alleged visit to Pakistan. He said going to Pakistan is a crime.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi (L) and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (R) have been trading barbs over their families' alleged links with Pakistan and the alleged coal mining scam. (HT File)

The BJP leader has been alleging that the Jorhat MP had visited the neighbouring country, and his wife "continues to receive a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while residing and working in India.

Follow live updates on Pahalgam terror attack here

“If we can arrest 40 persons who talked in support of Pakistan, then we can take action against Gaurav Gogoi for his Pakistan visit. Gaurav Gogoi is not God. Gaurav Gogoi should have answered whether he had visited Pakistan or not. Whether he changed his children's citizenship by consulting with his children or made the decision himself. Why did his wife travel to Pakistan 19 times? If he doesn't answer, then Himanta Biswa Sarma knows very well how to get the answer,” Sarma said.

“Gaurav Gogoi is not God to me. He is a criminal. In my view, going to Pakistan is a crime. There are no Kaziranga, Manas, or Orang (national parks) in Pakistan. Whose house in Pakistan did he go to? He will have to inform us. How do you find out the answer? The Assam government, Assam SIT, and Himanta Biswa Sarma know it well,” he added.

Also read | Assam CM vs Gogoi: Himanta questions Congress MP's family ties to Pak, gets counter

The Congress leader on Saturday slammed the chief minister for pursuing personal attacks rather than addressing the issues of children in Assam.

Gogoi asked if Sarma would resign if he proved that his child holds Indian citizenship.

“The Chief Minister is concerned about my children. That is his choice, his prerogative. I am concerned with the welfare of the children of Assam. Today, dropout rates are increasing. Children are being sold into slavery. The condition of government schools is deteriorating every day. Children are so impoverished that they are being forced into labour. I take responsibility for addressing these issues as a member of the Congress party,” Gogoi said.

The fresh salvo came weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists.

(With agency inputs)

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