The political confrontation in Assam sharpened on Monday, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma intensifying his attack on Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi over alleged links to Pakistan, while Gogoi accused the Chief Minister of suppressing an SIT report and dragging his family, including his minor children, into a political controversy.
The exchange followed Sarma’s press conference on Sunday, in which he made allegations against Gogoi’s wife. On Monday, Gogoi addressed a press conference in Guwahati, rejecting the charges and calling them politically motivated.
CM questions 2013 Pakistan visit
As Gogoi was speaking to reporters, Sarma posted fresh remarks on social media, questioning Gogoi’s 2013 visit to Pakistan. He raised what he described as discrepancies between the cities listed on Gogoi’s visa and his reference to visiting Takshashila (Taxila).
“If his Pakistan visa explicitly permitted travel only to Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, how did he visit Takshashila, which lies outside the Islamabad Capital Territory and within Rawalpindi District?” Sarma asked, adding that travel beyond visa-designated cities requires special authorisation. He also pointed out that Rawalpindi houses the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters, calling the issue one of national security.
Gogoi alleges report ‘buried’
Hitting back, Gogoi accused Sarma of manufacturing a controversy to divert attention from allegations relating to land allegedly held by the Chief Minister’s family. He claimed the SIT report cited by Sarma had been withheld for six months as it failed to substantiate the Pakistan-link allegations.
“If this was really about national security, why was he sitting idle for six months?” Gogoi asked. “The truth is, the SIT report has nothing to prove his allegations.”
He said the timing of the Chief Minister’s remarks coincided with the Congress party’s mobilisation in the state.
Also read: Himanta seeks Gogoi’s explanation over Rawalpindi visit
‘My children were dragged in’
Gogoi objected strongly to references to his family. “He stooped so low that he even spoke about my minor children,” he said. “We don’t drag families into politics.”
Rejecting the allegations, Gogoi said his wife’s visit to Pakistan was work-related and that his own 10-day visit in 2013 was neither secret nor illegal. He said he was exploring legal options over the remarks and reiterated his demand that the SIT report be made public.
Point Blank video row, Owaisi reacts
The controversy widened after a “Point Blank” video shared by the Assam BJP surfaced online and drew sharp Opposition criticism. The clip showed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appearing to shoot at framed photographs, including one of Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi wearing a skullcap, alongside an image of a Muslim man, with the words “No mercy” visible in the background.
The video, captioned “Point blank shot”, was later deleted following an uproar. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the clip, alleging it vilified a particular community and risked inflaming public sentiment, and called for restraint and accountability.
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