Bitter showdown on social media as CM Sarma, Gaurav Gogoi clash over 'Pakistan links'

Guwahati, April 27: With just four days left for the Panchayat elections, Assam’s political landscape has turned fiery, as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi locked horns in a fierce exchange of allegations and counter-charges — escalating an already tense rivalry into a full-blown social media slugfest.

What began as verbal jousting in the press spilled dramatically onto online platforms on Sunday, after Sarma publicly posed a series of pointed questions to the Jorhat MP, accusing him of having suspicious ties with Pakistan.

In a post that fanned the simmering political feud, Sarma asked Gogoi, "Did you visit Pakistan for a continuous period of 15 days? Is it true your wife receives a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while working in India? What is the citizenship status of your wife and children?"

Gogoi hit back swiftly, firing off three counter-questions of his own and expressing disappointment over the Chief Minister dragging his family into political mudslinging.

“Will you resign if you fail to prove your allegations that me and my wife are agents of an enemy country? Will you answer questions about your own children and wife? And will the state police arrest those linked to the coal mafia ravaging Assam’s hills and making crores of undeclared money? We are still waiting for the SIT report to be submitted,” Gogoi challenged.

Taking a firm stand, Gogoi said he would never drag Sarma’s children into political battles. “Targeting families is not just cheap, it is unbecoming of a leader. If there is an SIT report, submit it now and let the people of Assam see the truth,” he said.

Sarma, meanwhile, responded to Gogoi’s barrage by clarifying that neither he nor his family members have ever visited Pakistan, nor received any financial support from across the border.

He reiterated that every member of his family, including his wife and children, are Indian citizens.

However, the political barbs showed no sign of abating. Sarma, taking a fresh shot, warned that "sufficient material" allegedly linking Gogoi to Pakistan would be made public on September 10, 2025.

Doubling down, Gogoi accused the Chief Minister of having moved away from people's concerns, predicting that Assam’s voters would deliver their verdict in the 2026 elections.

“The people will remove him. He won't need to resign — they will ensure he sits in the opposition benches soon,” Gogoi said.

As tensions rise, the clash between Sarma and Gogoi is set to intensify, with both trading fresh challenges.