Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday alleged that state Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi and his British wife are "Pakistani agents", and dared the opposition leader to file a case against him.
The CM and the BJP have repeatedly targeted Gogoi over his wife Elizabeth Colburn’s alleged links with Pakistan’s spy agency, ISI. They claim the Congress MP has "direct links" with the neighbouring country.
"Gaurav Gogoi is a Pakistani agent, and his wife is also a Pakistani (agent). If he has courage, let him go and file a case against me," Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of an official function in Assam.
On Tuesday, Sarma had said the state cabinet will take a formal decision on the future course of action on the SIT report concerning Gogoi’s alleged links with Pakistan on February 7.
When asked about Gogoi’s statement that he was not scared by the allegations, the CM said, "Then it is good for him."
Sarma added, "In today's history, the entire Congress is Badan Barphukan, who has invited the Miyas and made them settle here. We will have to fight and will continue to fight."
Badan Chandra Barphukan, one of the generals of the Ahom kingdom, had invited the Burmese army in 1817 to help him ascend the throne.
The Ahom empire fell and was taken over by the British, and Barphukan is often blamed for the start of foreign rule in Assam and Northeast India.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) had probed alleged interference by Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who was claimed to have links with Colburn, in India’s internal affairs.
Sarma said Colburn was examined by SIT sleuths during the investigation, along with 22-25 others. He further claimed that Colburn had travelled 19 times between India and Pakistan.
The CM alleged Gogoi had visited Pakistan on an invitation from the ISI and undergone training there, besides working closely with the country’s establishment.
Sarma also alleged that Colburn collected classified government documents, mainly IB reports, on behalf of the Pakistani climate lobby. Responding to the allegations, Gogoi slammed Sarma and questioned his mental state due to issues at the home front.
He said the CM's remarks were "ridiculous, baseless, insane and nonsense" and accused him of behaving like an "IT cell troll" without talking with facts.