Political Firestorm in Assam as Allegations Against Gaurav Gogoi Create Uproar

Assam - A major political controversy has erupted in Assam after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma raised serious allegations against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi. He claims that Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn, has ties to Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, triggering a heated debate over national security and political integrity.  

Sarma argues that before marrying Gogoi, Colburn worked for an American senator with alleged links to Pakistan. He also points to her previous employment in an organization suspected of being a front for intelligence operations. According to Sarma, after their marriage, Gogoi’s focus in Parliament shifted towards sensitive defense matters, raising further concerns.  

Adding to the controversy, Sarma highlights a loophole in India’s citizenship rules. While Foreign Service officers must get permission to marry foreign nationals, with their spouses required to take Indian citizenship within six months, this rule does not apply to lawmakers. Colburn, a British citizen, has maintained her foreign nationality throughout her 12-year marriage to Gogoi.  

Gogoi has strongly denied the accusations, calling them baseless and politically motivated. He claims the BJP is using this issue as a distraction ahead of upcoming elections. Mocking the allegations, he remarked, “If my wife is an ISI agent, then I am a RAW agent,” underscoring what he sees as the absurdity of the claims.