‘Wild theory’ exists only in his head: Gaurav Gogoi hits back at Himanta over Pakistan link claims

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on March 25 rejected Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s allegations linking him and his wife to Pakistan, describing them as a “wild theory” and alleging that such claims reflect the chief minister’s “weakness” on a sensitive issue like national security.

Speaking to reporters, the Jorhat MP drew a distinction between the accusations made against him and those levelled by the Congress against the chief minister. “There is a difference between what Sarma is saying and what I am saying against him — his is a ‘wild theory’ which exists only in his head, and it relates to something very serious as national security,” Gogoi said.

He maintained that the Congress’s allegations regarding the chief minister concern “family, wealth, corruption, and the benefit that the government machinery is giving to his wife’s company”, adding that these claims are backed by publicly available information. According to Gogoi, “many stories have been published” and legal challenges are ongoing, supported by documented and media-reported material.

In contrast, he termed the allegations against him as “fiction”, accusing Sarma of “peddling national security as a wild theory to fulfil his larger scheme of things”. He added that “national security should be above politics” and said a chief minister “should have some gravitas” when dealing with such matters.

Sarma has in recent days targeted Gogoi and his British wife, Elizabeth Clare Gogoi, alleging links to Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to examine the claims.

Gogoi alleged that the episode reveals the chief minister’s “insecurities”, stating it shows “how far he can go to splash mud on something so serious as national security”. He also said the controversy has strengthened his family. “It has made us realise what a strong family we are,” he said, adding that his wife has faced the attacks “very strongly”.

The deputy leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha further claimed that while the Congress has addressed repeated questions on the issue, the chief minister has not responded to concerns over “why taxpayers’ money is being allocated and sanctioned for his wife’s company”.

Accusing the state government of fostering a climate of fear, Gogoi said dissent is being curtailed. “If you criticise this government, you are put in jail, cut off from schemes. This is not the politics of democracy but fascism, and the people of Assam deserve better,” he said.

Expressing confidence ahead of the Assembly elections, he said voters would decide based on “moral courage”. He also invoked the legacy of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, noting that people remember “the way he brought Assam out of insurgency and established peace”.

Gogoi said the Congress aims to present a “constructive, action-oriented government”, focusing on governance reforms, industrial growth and addressing what he described as “dirty politics” over the past several years.

On the newly formed opposition alliance of six parties — including the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI(M), APHLC and CPI(ML) — he said he was “very satisfied” with the outcome despite delays in negotiations over seat-sharing and organisational strength.

“Never before has the Congress been in such a rainbow coalition,” he said, adding that the coming together of Congress, Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad has generated significant public interest as the parties “complement each other” ideologically.