Assam Congress Counters BJP Narrative Against Gaurav Gogoi

Guwahati: In what has come as serious embarrassment for the Assam BJP, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has nominated Assam Congress chief and MP Gaurav Gogoi as the president of the India-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group, a body meant to strengthen India’s ties with another nation.

This has come close when Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been accusing Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi of alleged Pakistan links and defining it a matter of national security.

Obviously not happy over the development Mr Sarma while talking to reporters took a dig at the development, saying that Mr Gogoi should have been made the president of the “Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group” instead of the Philippines group.

Meanwhile Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) in a statement said that the appointment of senior Congress leader and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi as president of the India-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group has exposed what it termed as politically motivated propaganda by the ruling BJP against him.

The APCC asserted that the move has sent a strong message at a time when the Assam chief minister had levelled serious allegations against the opposition leader.

“This has come at a time when the Assam chief minister is running a malicious campaign against our leader – even going so far as to call him a ‘Pakistani agent’. However, the very developments at the national level have exposed the baseless nature of these accusations,” the statement said.

The party alleged that the BJP’s attempts to question Mr Gogoi’s integrity and patriotism were aimed at diverting public attention and gaining political mileage.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, also congratulated Mr Gogoi and criticised the ruling party’s approach. He said that the chief minister’s remarks were part of a “desperate attempt” to tarnish the image of a senior opposition leader.

“Questioning the patriotism of an elected MP for political gain, attempting to mislead public opinion through baseless allegations, and indulging in propaganda-driven politics are extremely harmful for democracy,” he said.

Union minister of state for external affairs and BJP Leader Pabitra Margherita responded by calling it a routine appointment. He clarified that Mr Gogoi has not been given a powerful chairmanship but has simply been nominated to head a friendship group, as he continues to be an elected Member of Parliament.

“This is not a clean-chit for Mr Gaurav Gogoi. He continues to enjoy all parliamentary privileges. Meanwhile, the investigation into his Pakistan links will continue,” he said.

“When an appropriate judicial ruling finds him guilty, all his privileges will go away,” said Mr Margherita while defending Assam chief minister’s campaign against Mr Gogoi.