The political landscape in Assam has been shaken by the controversy surrounding Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and his wife, Elizabeth Colburn. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has raised serious questions about Elizabeth Colburn’s past employment and her continued UK citizenship despite being married to an Indian MP for over a decade. Allegations suggest that she worked under Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a former advisor to Pakistan’s Planning Commission with suspected ISI ties.
Himanta Sarma has accused Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi of compromising national security by marrying a foreign national who retained her UK citizenship for 12 years. He also highlighted Elizabeth Colburn’s tenure at the Climate Development and Knowledge Network (CDKN) between 2011 and 2015, where she was allegedly stationed in Pakistan. The BJP highlights that her organization received funding from the Open Society Foundation, linked to billionaire George Soros, whom they accuse of destabilizing Indian politics.
In 2015, the Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Mr. Abdul Basit, invited a first-term Member of Parliament (MP) and his startup, Policy for Youth, to discuss India-Pakistan relations at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Notably, this MP was not a member of the…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 13, 2025
Further, Himanta Biswa Sarma brought up Gaurav Gogoi’s 2015 meeting with then-Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit, despite India’s strong objections to Pakistan’s interference in internal affairs. He alleged that Gogoi led 50-60 young Indians to the meeting, raising concerns about potential radicalization efforts. Gaurav Gogoi has dismissed these allegations but his wife’s connection with enemy state does find concerns.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colebourn, has come under scrutiny for her alleged links to Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI. Reports suggest that she worked with the Climate Development and Knowledge Network (CDKN) between 2011 and 2015 and was stationed primarily in Pakistan. During this period, she was allegedly under the supervision of Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, an advisor to Pakistan’s Planning Commission with suspected links to the ISI. Given the ISI’s history of subversive activities against India, these revelations have raised serious concerns about whether Gaurav Gogoi’s political position has been compromised. The controversy has now sparked a heated political debate, with the BJP questioning Congress’s silence on the matter and demanding a thorough investigation.
As the Deputy Leader of Opposition (Dy LoP), Gaurav Gogoi holds a crucial position in shaping national policies. The revelation of his wife’s alleged ISI ties has raised concerns about potential foreign influence in Indian politics. Given the ISI’s history of anti-India operations, any association, even indirect, with its network is alarming. Critics argue that Gogoi’s ability to serve in Parliament is now in question, and Congress must clarify his stance.
