Assam CM Himanta asks Congress MP over stay in Pakistan, wife's job

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday asked a Congress MP whether he had stayed in Pakistan for a continuous period of 15 days and his wife gets a salary from an NGO of the neighbouring country.

Posting a series of queries on X, Sarma also questioned the citizenship status of the MP's wife and their children without identifying the Congress leader.

Though the chief minister did not name the MP in the social media post, he and the BJP have been attacking Gaurav Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, for some time over his wife's alleged connection with Pakistan.

"Questions for the Hon'ble Member of Parliament from the Congress Party: 1. Did you visit Pakistan for a continuous period of 15 days? If so, could you kindly clarify the purpose of your visit?" he asked.

The CM also questioned whether it is true that the MP's wife "continues to receive a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while residing and working in India".

"If so, may we ask why a Pakistan-based organisation is paying a salary for activities conducted in India?" Sarma questioned.

He also asked about the citizenship status of the parliamentarian's wife and two children.

"Are they Indian citizens, or do they hold the citizenship of any other country? Many more questions will follow," he added.

Last month, the chief minister had said the state government might seek help from agencies like Interpol in investigating the alleged interference of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who is claimed to have links with Gogoi's British wife Elizabeth Colburn, in India's internal affairs.

Gogoi had accused the BJP of resorting to such “baseless allegations” as it has "no issue to raise".