'C-grade Bollywood movie that'll flop miserably': Gaurav Gogoi on Assam CM's allegations

New Delhi: Debunking claims that he had alleged links with the Pakistani establishment, newly-appointed Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday said he had gone to Pakistan only once 12 years ago and that the BJP was raking up the issue like a "C-grade Bollywood movie" that is going to "flop miserably". Gogoi also asked why the BJP government at the Centre had not acted for the last 11 years if there was any wrongdoing and claimed that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was making these allegations with the intention of creating doubts in the minds of the Congress leadership about his credentials but that had been decimated. "Allegations are made and I would like to clarify that people of the state are not misled. About 14-15 years ago, my wife, who is a well-known expert in public policy, worked on an international project in South Asia focused on climate change. She spent one year in Pakistan before returning to India around 2012-13," Gogoi said at a press conference at the Congress' 24, Akbar Road office. "Since then, she has continued her work and took a new job in 2015. I also remember going with her once in 2013. Their (the BJP's) job is defamation and by raking this issue they are creating this whole thing like a C-grade Bollywood movie which they have said would be released on September 10. But that is going to be a flop miserably," he said.

Gogoi said he would like to ask if there had been any wrongdoing on his wife or his part, then why the government had not acted in the last 11 years. "What were the government and probe agencies doing," he asked. Responding to Gogoi's remarks, Sarma posted on X, "Finally, Congress MP Shri Gaurav Gogoi has admitted that he visited Pakistan. But let us be very clear - this is just the beginning, not the end. What lies ahead is far more serious. There exists every reasonable ground, supported by credible inputs and documented information, to suggest that Shri Gogoi has maintained proximity with the Pakistani establishment." "The Government of Assam, committed to transparency and accountability, will make everything public on 10th September, once the Special Investigation Team (SIT) concludes its comprehensive inquiry. The people of Assam and the nation deserve the truth - and they shall have it, in full," Sarma said. But the people will also not forget - nor forgive - the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi for deliberately promoting such a "dangerous and compromised" individual into the public life of our country, he said.