Gaurav Gogoi dismisses BJP’s ISI allegations against wife, says ‘then I am a R&AW agent’

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has dismissed allegations made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP leaders, who accused his British wife, Elizabeth Colburn, of having links to Pakistan’s ISI. Gogoi called the claims “laughable,” stating, “If my wife is an ISI agent of Pakistan, then I am a R&AW agent of India.” He alleged that the BJP is attempting to divert attention from corruption allegations against Sarma’s family ahead of the Assam assembly elections.

The BJP's allegations were first raised by party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, who claimed Colburn had connections with Pakistan Planning Commission advisor Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and an ISI-linked organization. Sarma also suggested that Gogoi’s visit to Pakistan in 2015, facilitated by the Pakistani High Commissioner to India, led to a shift in his parliamentary questions, which began focusing on sensitive defense matters, including Coast Guard radar installations, arms factories, trade routes with Iran, and security-related issues.

Sarma further claimed that before her marriage to Gogoi, Colburn worked with an American senator known for ties to the Pakistani establishment and later spent time in Pakistan with an organization allegedly linked to ISI. He questioned why Colburn had not applied for Indian citizenship in the past 12 years and raised concerns about external funding, including alleged financial support from George Soros, to influence Indian politics. “At some point, accountability will be necessary. Simply deflecting responsibility or attempting to shift the focus onto others will not serve as an easy escape route,” Sarma wrote on X.

Gogoi rejected these allegations, stating that the BJP had previously conducted a similar smear campaign against him and his family before last year’s Lok Sabha elections, but the people of Jorhat still elected him. He accused the BJP of lacking real issues and resorting to false narratives. “The BJP has no issue and resorts to these baseless allegations,” Gogoi told PTI. He also accused Sarma of targeting him due to his growing political influence in Assam.

The Assam Chief Minister has continued to press for clarifications, saying the allegations involve national security and must be addressed by the Congress leadership. Gogoi, however, maintained that the people of Assam are politically aware and will see through the BJP’s tactics. He stated that Congress will focus on issues such as unemployment, inflation, and peace in Manipur, while the BJP continues to push personal attacks. The Assam assembly elections are set to take place next year.