Assam CM terms charges by Congress leaders as 'malicious'; files INR 500 cr defamation case

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday demanded a "transparent explanation" from Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi over his visit to Rawalpindi district of Pakistan, asserting that his visa explicitly permitted travel only to Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.

Sarma, in a post on X, said that under Pakistan's immigration rules, travel beyond visa-designated cities is not permitted without authorisation.

Responding to the charge, Gogoi said Sarma was "floundering and sinking in his own web of lies", asserting that the general passport, which was submitted to the Centre to get a diplomatic one, has all details of his visit.

Sarma's comments came following a press conference of the Congress leader, where he said he had visited Takshashila in Pakistan with his wife, with due permission. Takshashila is an ancient centre of higher learning and a city near Rawalpindi.

Ahead of the assembly elections, the CM and Gogoi, the state Congress president, have been engaged in a verbal duel, with Sarma alleging that the Congress leader and his family have Pakistani links.

Gogoi said that his wife had visited Pakistan for work-related purposes in 2013, and he had accompanied her on a 10-day trip to the neighbouring country in December that year. The CM had on Sunday said that he suspect the Congress leader had undergone "some sort of training" during that trip.

While the Congress leader's press meet was underway, Sarma asserted that Gogoi made a disclosure that he was not aware of.

"Takshashila (Taxila) is not located in Islamabad, but in Rawalpindi District, Punjab. This single fact raises a serious and unavoidable question. If his Pakistan visa explicitly permitted travel only to Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, how did he visit Takshashila, which lies outside the Islamabad Capital Territory and squarely within Rawalpindi District?" he said in an X post.

"So the question is simple, factual, and legitimate: Who facilitated his movement to Takshashila despite the apparent absence of visa clearance for Rawalpindi District?" Sarma said.

He said this question gains significance given that the Pakistan Army's General Headquarters is also located in Rawalpindi, which is a "restricted, high-security" district.

These facts warrant a clear and transparent explanation, the chief minister said.

"It is now almost evident that access to Rawalpindi (army headquarters) could not have occurred through routine civilian travel permissions. The circumstances strongly suggest that the visit was facilitated through institutional arrangements that do not require standard civilian visa endorsements," he said.

Gogoi later told PTI that the CM should use Google Maps more carefully to know that Takshashila is a day's trip from Islamabad.

"I made available my original passport to the Government of India after I became an MP in 2014 to get a diplomatic passport. It lies with them, and it contains all the details of my Pakistan visit," he said.

"This shows that the chief minister is floundering and sinking in his own web of lies. He tried to brand me as an agent of a foreign country, and he failed. And in order to cover one lie, he has to tell 100 lies," the Congress leader asserted.

Gogoi said that Takshashila is an important archaeological site in Indian civilisation and he is glad that he got the opportunity to visit that place.

The CM further wanted to know who took Gogoi to Takshashila and Rawalpindi without visa.

"He generated more questions while trying to give answers. Yesterday, I did not make direct allegations. When I was told of his visit without a visa, our doubt has deepened from today. I feel Gaurav Gogoi will have to answer a lot of questions now," he added.

Sarma sought to see the photographs of Gogoi's visit to Takshashila and said that the issues have become "more complicated" from now.

Gogoi said he will be exploring legal action against Sarma for publicly revealing the passport and other details of his minor children.

Later speaking to reporters in Dibrugarh, Sarma said that he will file a counter case at the Juvenile Justice Board against the parents for changing the religion of the children before they were adults.

"Do parents have the right to alter the religion and citizenship of their children? An adult can change his or her religion and citizenship. If Gaurav Gogoi approaches the Juvenile Justice Board, I will welcome him because the debate will be bigger," he added.

When the children are minors, they cannot understand anything, so the court will make any decision, Sarma said.

"The children would have given their consent at the age of 18. Should not Gaurav Gogoi wait till they become 18 years? So, the main case will be against Gaurav Gogoi for exploiting the children and changing their religion and caste before taking their consent," he added.

The CM said that this is going to be a big case against Gogoi for changing his children's passport and religion.

"He himself has not understood it yet. The Constitution has not given permission to parents to alter the citizenship and religion of their children," he claimed.

Regarding the religion of Gogoi's minor son, Sarma pointed out that the Congress MP had said he would not reveal his boy's religion.

"That means the son has also become a Christian. We had proof of the girl being Christian," he added.

When asked about Gogoi's counter that Sarma could not prove anything regarding alleged Pakistan links, the CM said he had elaborately proved everything on Sunday.