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Himanta Vs Gogoi Intensifies: Congress MP Calls CM’s Pakistan Charge ‘C-Grade’ Super Flop
Vinita Bhat | February 8, 2026 7:11 PM CST

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi launched a scathing counter-attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, dismissing the latter’s press conference accusing him of links with Pakistan as a “super flop”. Taking to social media platform X, Gogoi said journalists in Delhi and Assam had been forced to endure what he described as “the worst press conference of the century”, comparing it unfavourably even to “C-grade cinema”. He accused Sarma of presenting arguments that were “absurd and completely false”.

Gogoi Calls Sarma’s Allegations ‘Baseless & Theatrical’

The Congress leader, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said Sarma’s press briefing stood in sharp contrast to what he termed his party’s “journey of exposing the truth”. Gogoi alleged that while the Chief Minister was attempting to divert attention, the Congress had succeeded in highlighting the alleged occupation of nearly 12,000 bighas of land by Sarma and members of his family.

Gogoi’s remarks come amid an escalating political row after Sarma revived allegations of Gogoi’s purported links with Pakistan. The Chief Minister claimed that during a visit to Singapore to pitch Assam as an investment destination, a photograph surfaced showing Gogoi accompanying a group of young people to the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi.

According to Sarma, the image showed Gogoi with Abdul Basit, who was Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India at the time. He alleged that the visit amounted to an attempt to “legitimise Pakistan” and raised questions about the Congress MP’s intentions.

Sarma Invokes Kargil, Seeks Central Probe

Escalating the rhetoric, Sarma invoked the Kargil war, recalling that Assam’s Captain Jintu Gogoi had laid down his life for the country. He said that against this backdrop, any association of an Indian MP with Pakistan was deeply troubling and ran counter to national sentiment, particularly at a time when public support for the Prime Minister during security operations was evident.

The Chief Minister further alleged that no other Congress leader had ever travelled to Pakistan with such a large delegation. While he initially believed the photograph to be doctored, Sarma claimed his doubts vanished after Congress leaders appeared to defend it, prompting the state government to initiate an inquiry.

Sarma announced that the matter would now be referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs. He named three individuals allegedly linked to the case-Gogoi, his British wife Elizabeth Colburn, and Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh-asserting that the issue could not be treated as an isolated incident.

The sharp exchange underscores the intensifying political battle in Assam, with both sides digging in as the controversy spills onto the national stage.


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