Three members of one family are foreign nationals, says Minister Pijush Hazarika, targets Gaurav Gogoi in Goalpara

Assam Minister for Information and Public Relations Pijush Hazarika on February 9, launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, raising questions over the citizenship and religious choices of his family members.

 

Hazarika was in Goalpara, where he attended a BJP workers’ meeting at Vajpayee Bhawan near the Durga Temple. During interactions with party workers ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, the minister discussed organisational preparedness and political strategy.

 

Addressing the media after the meeting, Hazarika alleged that three members of Gaurav Gogoi’s family are foreign nationals and questioned why Gogoi’s wife has not taken Indian citizenship. He further claimed that Gogoi had changed the religion of his children and said that none of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s grandchildren now follow Hinduism.

 

“Out of four members in the family, three are foreigners. Only one is an Indian citizen. Such a person dreams of becoming the Chief Minister of Assam,” Hazarika said, adding that Gogoi, who is the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, owes an explanation to the people of Assam.

 

The minister also claimed that foreign nationals are not required to salute the national flag or stand during the national anthem, unlike Indian citizens. “When Indians hear the national anthem, we stand up, and when we see the national flag, we salute it. Foreigners are not bound by these duties,” he said, referring to Gogoi’s family members.

 

Calling the situation “deeply unfortunate”, Hazarika remarked that if former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi were alive today, he would have been deeply saddened by these developments. The minister’s remarks are expected to further intensify the political sparring between the BJP and the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections.