GUWAHATI, May 5: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday dared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to clarify in Parliament whether his party’s MPs can visit Pakistan, as he continued to target opposition MP Gaurav Gogoi for his alleged links with the neighbouring country.
Sarma maintained that visiting Pakistan is a “big crime” and “stern action” will be taken against Gogoi, backed with evidence of the Congress leader’s stay in that country a few years ago.
He also claimed that there is a “deeper story” behind Gogoi’s children not being Indian citizens, which will be revealed by September 10.
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The Assam CM and the BJP have been attacking Gogoi, the deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, over his British wife’s alleged connection with Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, with Sarma claiming that the MP had stayed for 15 days in the neighbouring nation without informing the authorities.
On the sidelines of Panchayat election campaign rally, Sarma was asked by reporters whether going to Pakistan is deemed a crime.
“It is a big crime. He not only went to Pakistan but also met a Pakistani army official. Stern action will be taken,” the chief minister replied.
Sarma said that he is waiting till September to initiate the next course of action as “papers have to be brought from Pakistan and England. I have to show proof to the people, or else they won’t believe me.”
The chief minister sought to know from Rahul Gandhi his views on whether Congress MPs can visit Pakistan or not.
“I want to hear from Rahul Gandhi whether it is okay to visit Pakistan or not. Let me see if he has the courage to clarify on the floor of Parliament,” he said.
Sarma had said on Sunday that he will meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and ask why the opposition party gave ticket to Gogoi.
In March, the CM had said the state government may seek help from agencies like Interpol in investigating the alleged interference of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who is claimed to have links with Gogoi’s British wife Elizabeth Colburn, in India’s internal affairs.
Sheikh, an advisor of the Pakistan Planning Commission and a former colleague of Colburn, was charged under various sections of the Bhartiya NyaySanhtia (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Sarma also claimed that there is “deeper story” behind the two minor children of Gogoi not being Indian citizens.
The BJP leader was retorting to a question by the state Congress on whether his brother, Jayanta Biswa Sarma’s, children are British citizens.
Sharing the post, Sarma maintained that it was an acknowledgement that Gogoi’s children are not Indian citizens.
“And now, even you are forced to admit a critical truth — that the son and daughter of Shri Gaurav Gogoi are not Indian citizens. There is a deeper story behind this — one that the people of Assam and India will come to know by September 10,” he said.
The Kerala Congress had earlier taken on Sarma on the micro-blogging site recently after he posted that “the minor children of one Member of Parliament from Assam are no longer citizens of India”.
“Dear Himanta BS, Are you talking about Dr. S Jaishankar’s two children? Or is it Piyush Goyal’s children? Hardeep Singh Puri’s or Sudha Murthy’s?” the opposition party’s unit of the southern state asked.
“Be specific while making such big allegations against people in your own party,” it added. (PTI)
