Embassy visit, 2013 travel and undisclosed contacts raise national security concerns
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on February 8, intensified his attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, alleging that the latter’s past interactions linked to Pakistan’s diplomatic establishment raise serious national security and political concerns, warranting deeper investigation.
During a press briefing, the Chief Minister said he was in Singapore promoting Assam as an investment destination when a photograph surfaced showing Gogoi accompanying a group of youths to the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi. Abdul Basit, then Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India, was reportedly present during the meeting.
“For a long time, I thought the image was photoshopped. Within a couple of days, Congress leaders themselves acknowledged the image, and that was when I understood it was authentic,” the Chief Minister said, adding, “Once it was established that the photograph was real, we opened up the entire investigation.”
Calling such engagement unusual, he claimed no other senior Congress leader had interacted with Pakistan’s diplomatic establishment in a similar manner with a delegation.
The Chief Minister further alleged that Gogoi undertook an undisclosed visit to Pakistan from December 14 to 24, 2013, entering through Lahore before travelling to Islamabad and Karachi. During this period, the CM said, the MP remained “completely off the digital radar,” with no public posts or communication.
The Chief Minister said the trip occurred before Gogoi became an elected MP, when he was still a private individual. He further alleged that Gogoi crossed into Pakistan through the Attari border to avoid attention and remained there.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister alleged Gogoi travelled via Lahore to Islamabad and had no public communication, social media activity, or digital trace throughout the trip. “Questions arise about the nature of discussions he may have had on sensitive matters like military strategy, nuclear issues and the Western Front. The people of Assam deserve clarity,” he said.
The Assam Chief Minister alleged that an official communication from Pakistan’s Interior Ministry authorised Gogoi’s travel beyond Lahore to cities such as Islamabad and Karachi and urged the Congress MP to disclose the document publicly.
Recalling the sacrifice of Captain Jintu Gogoi during the Kargil War, the Chief Minister stressed that India’s history with Pakistan demands caution and transparency from elected representatives. He maintained that the issue cannot be treated as routine politics and must be examined strictly from a national interest perspective.
Also Read: Himanta Moves Gogoi Probe to MHA: Orders Legal Action Against Bhupen Bora
