Congress MP from Assam rejects allegation as ‘laughable’
New Delhi, Feb 12: The BJP on Wednesday accused Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi’s wife of having links with Pakistan and the ISI, a charge rejected by the deputy opposition leader in the Lok Sabha as “laughable and entertaining”.
The BJP resorted to such “baseless allegations” as it has no issue to raise, Gogoi hit back.
He alleged that the BJP had carried out a similar “smear campaign” against him and his family ahead of last year’s Lok Sabha polls and the people, in reply, elected him from the Jorhat parliamentary constituency.
Gogoi’s reaction came after BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged, “Some serious concerning facts related to national security have come to light. Links of Elizabeth Colburn, the wife of deputy leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, with Pakistan Planning Commission Advisor Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and the ISI, have come to light.” This is “extremely concerning” as it relates to national security, he said and demanded the Congress leadership and Gogoi issue a clarification.
The question becomes even more serious as Gogoi’s wife is a foreign citizen and the organisation for which she works is funded by George Soros, Bhatia alleged.
“It is expected that Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge ji and Gaurav Gogoi will render a clarification about their relations with Pakistan and the ISI,” he told PTI.
The BJP leader also wondered if Gogoi should continue as the deputy leader of opposition after this due to his access to “sensitive information relating to security issues” while holding such a post.
Bhatia also targeted Gandhi, the opposition leader in the Sabha, and asked if Gogoi and his wife were carrying forward his “plan” to weaken India.
“A few days ago, when Rahul Gandhi said that his fight was against the Indian state, the question is whether Gaurav Gogoi and Elizabeth are working with Pakistan and the ISI to carry forward Rahul Gandhi’s plan to weaken India,” he said.
Hitting back, Gogoi termed Bhatia’s charge as “laughable and entertaining”, and said the BJP was resorting to levelling such baseless allegations against him and his family because it had no issues to raise.
“The BJP has no issue and resorts to these baseless allegations. It conducted the same smear campaign against me and my family before the Lok Sabha polls last year and the people of Jorhat parliamentary constituency replied (to it) by electing me,” the Congress leader said. (PTI)