The political atmosphere in Assam has heated up following allegations regarding Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn, and her alleged links to a Pakistan-backed NGO. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a series of posts on X, raised concerns over Gogoi’s past engagements with the Pakistani High Commission and the professional background of his British wife.
CM Sarma’s Allegations
CM Sarma alleged that in 2015, Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit invited Gaurav Gogoi, then a first-term MP, to discuss India-Pakistan relations at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi. Sarma pointed out that Gogoi was not a Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs member at the time, questioning the intent behind this meeting.
“This visit occurred despite India’s official protest against the Pakistani High Commission’s interference in internal matters, particularly its involvement with the Hurriyat Conference,” Sarma stated. He further alleged that Gogoi took a group of 50-60 young Indians to interact with Pakistani officials.
Following this, Gogoi’s startup, Policy for Youth, reportedly published an article in The Hindu, criticizing the Border Security Force’s (BSF) handling of illegal Bangladeshi immigration. CM Sarma also highlighted a shift in Gogoi’s parliamentary focus, with increased inquiries on sensitive defence matters, including Coast Guard radar installations, India’s arms factories, and transit routes for trade with Iran.
Elizabeth Colburn’s Alleged Links to ISI
The Assam CM further raised concerns over Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn. Before their marriage, she reportedly worked for an American senator close to the Pakistani establishment. Later, she was employed in Pakistan by an organization widely suspected of being a front for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
“The timing of these events adds another layer of intrigue to the MP’s evolving political stance and actions,” Sarma remarked. He also posted a photograph of Gogoi with former Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit, questioning whether the MP had obtained the necessary approval from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and undergone post-meeting debriefings.
BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia echoed CM Sarma’s concerns, stating that the alleged links between Elizabeth Colburn, Pakistani Planning Commission Advisor Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, and the ISI were “extremely concerning.”
“This is a matter of national security. Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Gaurav Gogoi must clarify Colburn’s relations with Pakistan and ISI,” Bhatia demanded. He also claimed that the organisation Colburn works for is funded by billionaire George Soros, linking the controversy to recent remarks by Rahul Gandhi about his “fight against the Indian state.”
