‘Acts on behalf of Pakistan’: Himanta Biswa Sarma slams Gaurav Gogoi over Op Sindoor remarks

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a sharp political offensive on Tuesday against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, accusing him of echoing Pakistan’s narrative during his recent speech in Parliament on Operation Sindoor. The BJP leader went as far as to allege that Gogoi was “acting on behalf of Pakistan” and called him “a disgrace to Assam.”

Sarma’s criticism stemmed from Gogoi’s remarks in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the government's military response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Gogoi questioned why the Modi government halted Operation Sindoor despite Pakistan reportedly capitulating.

"The entire country, and the Opposition, were supporting PM Modi. Suddenly, on 10th May, we got to know that there had been a ceasefire. Why? We wanted to know from PM Modi that if Pakistan was ready to kneel down, then why did you stop, and to whom did you surrender?" Gogoi asked, referencing former US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of mediating between India and Pakistan.

In response, Sarma accused Gogoi of pushing a foreign agenda. “Speech delivered by our MP from Jorhat in Parliament yesterday proved beyond doubt that he acts on behalf of Pakistan,” Sarma posted on X. “His secret trip and close ties with the Pakistani establishment speak volumes.”

The chief minister also brought up Gogoi's family’s foreign citizenship. “With his wife and both the kids holding foreign citizenship, he can leave India any time. He is a disgrace to Assam and a betrayal of our pride as proud Indian,” he added in the same post.

Gogoi, who is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had earlier pointed out the lack of clarity around the government's decision to cease military action. “The US President has said this 26 times that he forced India and Pakistan to announce a ceasefire,” he said, suggesting that the move raised questions about external influence.

The government, however, maintained that the ceasefire was not mediated and came after Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations reached out to his Indian counterpart.

Gogoi also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of avoiding a visit to Pahalgam after returning from Saudi Arabia. “He went to Bihar and gave an election speech instead,” the Congress leader said.