cm-failed-to-produce-any-evidence-gogoi-over-pakistan-links

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday mounted a sharp rebuttal to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, asserting that the Chief Minister had failed to present any evidence to substantiate allegations linking him to Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati, Gogoi said Sarma’s nearly two-and-a-half-hour media briefing a day earlier produced no proof to back what he described as serious and damaging claims.

“Yesterday, in the 2.5-hour-long press conference, the Chief Minister could not produce any evidence to prove that I am an agent of another country. He kept beating around the bush,” Gogoi said.

The Congress leader questioned why the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report, submitted on September 10 last year, remained pending for nearly six months before being placed before the Cabinet on February 7.

Also read: Himanta seeks Gogoi’s explanation over Rawalpindi visit

“The Assam Chief Minister had the SIT report for the last six months. Last year, he said he would release the SIT report to the public on September 10. If this concerns national security, our only question is: why was the CM silent on this report for the past six months? It is because the SIT constituted by him was unsuccessful in presenting any evidence,” Gogoi said.

“From the beginning, I have been saying that I will not go against the SIT investigation. I would like the SIT report released. CM is not Chanakya,” he added.

Clarifying his intent, Gogoi said the press conference was not aimed at responding personally to the Chief Minister but at addressing the people of Assam. “I am not here to respond to the CM. I am here out of respect for the media and the people of Assam. I am in politics to raise issues concerning the people. Let them decide,” he said.

Gogoi also condemned what he described as personal attacks during the Chief Minister’s press briefing, alleging that details about his children were made public. Calling the allegations baseless and defamatory, he said the Supreme Court should take suo motu cognisance of the matter.