Gaurav Gogoi slams Assam CM over coal syndicate, issues clarification on his Pak ‘links’

Guwahati: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi launched a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday, citing recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids as “evidence of illegal coal mining operations” in the state, and also issued a clarification on his ‘links’ in Pakistan.

Speaking to the media in Delhi for the first time after becoming the Assam unit chief of Congress, Gogoi pointed to the April 24 raids conducted across Assam and Meghalaya, where the ED reportedly unearthed a coal smuggling network, seizing Rs 1.58 crore in cash, digital devices, and two luxury vehicles.

“This revelation proves the Assam CM wrong,” Gogoi said, asserting that the ED’s findings confirm the existence of an illegal coal syndicate operating across state borders.

He questioned the scope of the investigation, asking, “Will this probe stop at just Rs 1.58 crore? Why has no action been taken by the state and Central governments? This syndicate is putting immense pressure on the economy, ecology, and society of the Northeast.”

Gogoi demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry, alleging political protection behind the illicit operations.

“Such a syndicate could not have functioned without political shielding from both state and central authorities,” he claimed.

Amid the political storm, Gogoi also addressed a separate controversy involving his 2013 visit to Pakistan and his wife’s professional background.

In a bid to end speculation and social media narratives questioning his family’s associations, Gogoi clarified that his wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, worked with an international NGO and was stationed in Pakistan in 2011 for a year as part of her official duties.

He said, “I visited Pakistan only once, in 2013, in full compliance with the Government of India’s rules and regulations.”

“My personal and professional life has always been transparent and aligned with the national interest,” Gogoi said.

This marks the first time Gogoi has publicly addressed these issues, which have gained traction in recent days.

He emphasised the need for fact-based political discourse and urged opponents to focus on substantive issues rather than personal attacks.

Responding to questions about his family’s citizenship, Gogoi acknowledged that his wife and two children hold British citizenship. “My wife’s citizenship is a personal decision. My second child was born in the UK. We faced many challenges while living in England during the Covid-19 pandemic, which led us to convert our first child’s citizenship to British,” he explained.

Calling for privacy and understanding, Gogoi concluded by urging the public to respect the personal choices of political figures, especially when they relate to family matters made under extraordinary global circumstances.

The Congress high command on Monday announced Gaurav Gogoi’s appointment as the new president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). Gogoi, a three-time Lok Sabha member, seeks to lead efforts to consolidate his party in the state ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.

–IANS