Elizabeth Gogoi Worked For LEAD Pakistan: Himanta's Huge Charge Against Gaurav Gogoi's Wife | EXCLUSIVE

New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has escalated his attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, raising questions about his wife Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, a British national, and her alleged connections to Pakistan. Speaking Exclusively to Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami , Sarma responded to criticism that he was making personal allegations. The Assam CM defended his stance and stated that the matter was of national interest and not just personal scrutiny.

"If the wife of an Indian lawmaker, married in 2013, has not taken Indian citizenship even after 12 years, I believe it is a moral question that the Honourable MP needs to answer," Sarma told Arnab

The Assam CM further claimed that Elizabeth Gogoi worked with LEAD Pakistan, an organization in Pakistan , between 2011 and 2014. Sarma alleged that during this period, Gaurav Gogoi, the son of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, helped facilitate visits of various Pakistani nationals to India.

Highlighting the challenges of securing visas for Pakistani citizens, Sarma pointed out that during the Congress-led UPA government in Delhi, even individuals with alleged anti-India sentiments managed to enter the country. He specifically named  Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, under whom Elizabeth Gogoi had reportedly worked at LEAD Pakistan.

Sarma also linked Sheikh to the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act ( CAA ), stating that he had actively commented on the issue and frequently tagged Elizabeth in his tweets. "If you go through his tweets during and after the CAA agitation, he repeatedly mentioned Elizabeth and spoke extensively about Gaurav Gogoi," the Assam CM added.

Is Elizabeth Gogoi A Pakistani Agent?

During the interview, when Arnab Goswami directly asked Himanta if he was suggesting that Elizabeth Gogoi was a Pakistani agent, the Assam CM responded, "No. Look, I am nobody to suggest. It is for inquiry. But yes, the person under whom she works, he is a hardcore anti-India person."

Sarma further alleged that Ali Taukir Sheikh, under whom Elizabeth worked at LEAD Pakistan, had a history of making provocative statements against India. He questioned why an individual claiming to be a climate activist would frequently comment on Assam and India’s internal matters.

"So now you have worked under the guise of climate action. But if that guy is a climate action activist, then why is he commenting on Assam? Why is he commenting on India in a very provocative way and then tagging you? So we want to know about that Taukir Sheikh from Elizabeth Gogoi," Sarma asserted.  

Himanta's Pointed Question to Elizabeth Gogoi

Speaking to Arnab, the Assam Chief Minister also raised pointed questions about Elizabeth Gogoi’s frequent visits between Pakistan and India from 2011 to 2014, when she was associated with the organization LEAD Pakistan. Addressing the matter, Sarma alleged that Elizabeth, despite being stationed in Pakistan, frequently travelled to India, leveraging her relationship with Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi. Furthermore, he noted that even after her marriage, Elizabeth had not taken Indian citizenship but continued to reside in India.

The Assam CM also highlighted Elizabeth’s past association with Tom Udall, a former U.S. senator known for his pro-Pakistan stance. Sarma clarified that while Udall was not a Pakistani senator, he had advocated for the restoration of US funding to Pakistan following the Laden controversy.

Sarma alleged that Gaurav Gogoi’s NGO received funding from George Soros in 2014. He further claimed that in 2015, Gaurav visited the American Embassy without informing the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). More controversially, Sarma also said that Gogoi also visited the Pakistan Embassy and failed to debrief the MEA afterwards.

Raising concerns over national security, Sarma pointed out that shortly after his embassy visits, Gaurav Gogoi posed sensitive questions to the Indian Defence Minister regarding radar installations along coastal roads—an issue directly related to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The Assam CM questioned the intent behind such queries, stating,"For an MP from Assam, a landlocked state, why would he be concerned about radar installations on coastal roads?"  

'We Are Dealing With National Security'

When Arnab asked did he ask such questions to benefit Pakistan, Himanta replied,"If you read everything in context, his wife's relationship with Ali Taukir Sheikh, the way he received money from George Soros, the way he visited India, the Pakistan embassy, without knowledge of Indian government, or perhaps not even with knowledge of Congress Party, because I have not seen Congress Party owning up that visits, and subsequently you ask about radar in the coastal road, knowing the 26/11 incident, you go and asking how many uranium in which state you have deposits, all lot of sensitive questions, and then denying. You have not said till now, even after three days, whether your wife has walked in an organization called LEAD Pakistan, whether your wife has facilitated visits of various Pakistani important cities, important visits, including top-level military officers to India, all these things are now on record, but you are not coming forward to clarify the positions. We are dealing with national security.

'Gaurav Gogoi in Trap of Big Gang'

Himanta, while talking to Arnab also said that he wants to ‘save’ Gogoi as he sincerely believes that he is in the trap of a big gang who is using him. 

"He is like a brother to me, and I want to save him from a major disaster," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, referring to Gaurav Gogoi.

"You can imagine, I will reveal more sensitive details—how, between 2011 and 2014, when the UPA was in power in both Delhi and Guwahati, she frequently visited various sensitive locations in India and traveled between Pakistan and India. These questions need answers, especially when I have evidence that Gaurav Gogoi received funds from the Soros Foundation," Sarma stated.

WATCH HIS FULL INTERVIEW BELOW