In Guwahati, on February 11, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on alleged “Pakistani links” of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Gaurav Gogoi would be amended to include the disclosures made by Gogoi during a recent press conference, including his visit to Rawalpindi district.
Sarma stated that Gogoi’s alleged connection with the neighboring country was not a matter of electoral politics, given that the ruling saffron party was expected to win the upcoming Assembly elections, but rather a matter of ensuring that Pakistan could not enter Dispur.
"The SIT report will be amended to include Gogoi's remarks at the press conference. Two new pieces of information were revealed – that his wife received a salary directly from Pakistan, and that he had visited Rawalpindi district, which houses the Pakistan Army headquarters, without mentioning it in his visa application," Sarma told reporters.
"These details will be included in the SIT report and sent to Delhi tomorrow or the day after," he added.
The state government had constituted the SIT to investigate alleged interference in India's internal affairs by Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who was allegedly linked to Gogoi's British wife, Elizabeth Colburn.
Based on its findings, Sarma had alleged in a press conference on Sunday that Gogoi, Colburn, and Sheikh had a "deeper connection," and that information from the Intelligence Bureau had been secretly passed on to the neighboring nation.
The state Cabinet has decided to refer the case and the SIT report to the Ministry of Home Affairs for further investigation.
Gogoi had dismissed the allegations of his Pakistani connections as "completely baseless and unfounded," and had described the press conference where Sarma made the allegations as "worse than a C-grade movie," which was a "complete flop."
Sarma stated that "the police know how to deal with a case, and they have their own strategy. When a person is cornered, they reveal the truth, just like Gogoi admitted to his visit to Rawalpindi."
He added, "If he had been called for questioning, his lawyer would have been present, and he would never have made such a statement."
Asked how the Centre would proceed with the case, Sarma asserted that "no one will ignore a matter when Pakistan is involved," and that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is a "man of action, not just words."
"His silence speaks volumes," the CM said, referring to Shah.
Sarma emphasized that the investigations into Gogoi’s alleged “Pakistani links” have nothing to do with the upcoming state elections.
"We don't need this to win the election; we are far ahead. This is a matter to ensure that Pakistan cannot enter Dispur…We have exposed the kind of people Rahul Gandhi promotes," he said.
Sarma claimed that Congress members were angry with Gogoi over his alleged “Pakistani connections.”
"Rajiv Bhawan (the state Congress headquarters) is now working with us to defeat Pakistan. Not everyone takes Pakistan so easily," he claimed.
The CM further maintained that Gogoi refrained from answering many questions during his press conference on Monday, during which he responded to the charges brought against him a day earlier based on the SIT report.
"I always face questions, even if they are uncomfortable…only selected journalists were allowed to ask questions during Gogoi's press conference," he claimed.
He also maintained that reporters were "harassed" at the Congress press conference, which never happens at BJP office media briefings.
Sarma further stated that a whistleblower from within the Congress has informed the police that three individuals, associated with a political consultancy group engaged by the opposition party, have "connived to smear Gogoi and blame the BJP."
He said that the police have recorded the information and called the concerned individuals as a preventive measure.
Responding to Congress leader Pawan Khera’s allegation that Sarma was a follower of a Bangladeshi cleric, the CM said the cleric had previously visited former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, and that Gaurav Gogoi had also met him.
"The cleric had visited Tarun Gogoi at his Koinadhora residence (then official residence of the CM). Gaurav Gogoi had also met him at a Machkhowa residence," Sarma claimed.
"Khera should post about the cleric's visit to Tarun Gogoi's home. They always post half-truths," he said.
Sarma stated that he has "many photographs" with maulanas from his Congress days, and questioned, "What is wrong with it?" He had joined the saffron party in August 2015.
He maintained that he has not deleted his old photographs from social media from his Congress days "so that people can know what kind of person I was after my death."
"I have nothing against Sufism; I have visited many dargahs," Sarma added.
AICC leader Khera had on Tuesday alleged that Sarma was a follower of Bangladeshi cleric Dewan Mohammad Saidur Rahman Chishti Saidabadi, on whose advice he had joined the saffron party.