Guwahati, February 9: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday escalated his attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, alleging a possible violation of Pakistani visa regulations during Gogoi’s 2013 visit to Pakistan.
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| Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi in a political face-off amid a row over Gogoi’s Pakistan visit and alleged visa violations. |
In a strongly worded social media post, Sarma questioned how Gogoi visited Takshashila (Taxila), an ancient site located in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi district, when his visa reportedly permitted travel only to Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. Under Pakistan’s immigration rules, travel beyond visa-designated cities is not allowed without specific authorisation.
The Chief Minister’s remarks came a day after a high-profile press conference in which he claimed to have revealed findings from a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Gogoi’s alleged foreign links. The Assam Cabinet has since decided to forward the SIT report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), recommending a central investigation by agencies such as the NIA or CBI.
Sarma underscored that Takshashila lies outside the Islamabad Capital Territory and squarely within Rawalpindi district of Punjab province. He raised concerns over how Gogoi was able to travel there without explicit visa clearance, asking, “Who facilitated his movement to Takshashila despite the apparent absence of authorisation for Rawalpindi district?”
He added that the issue assumes greater significance as Rawalpindi also hosts the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistan Army, describing the matter as “serious and unavoidable.”
According to Sarma, the SIT report flagged several issues linked to Gogoi’s Pakistan visit. Gogoi allegedly remained inactive on social media for the entire 10-day visit in December 2013. Sarma suggested this period could have been used for “some form of training,” without providing evidence.
The report claims Gogoi was initially granted a visa restricted to Lahore, which was later expanded to include Islamabad and Karachi through “special permission” from Pakistan’s Interior Ministry within a short span. Sarma alleged that after becoming an MP in 2014, Gogoi raised “sensitive questions” in Parliament related to India’s defence preparedness and intelligence matters, linking them to what he described as his wife’s alleged networks in Pakistan.
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Gaurav Gogoi has strongly denied all accusations, terming Sarma’s 2.5-hour press conference a “super flop” and “worse than a C-grade cinema.” Currently leading the Congress’ Parivartan Yatra in Assam, Gogoi accused the Chief Minister of misusing the state machinery and the SIT for “political theatre” ahead of the Assembly elections.
He also alleged that the controversy was being used to divert attention from questions surrounding the Chief Minister’s family land holdings in the state.
