Congress Member of Parliament from Jorhat, Assam, Gaurav Gogoi is getting embroiled in a political slugfest with Assam Chief Minister.
With Assam elections slated to be sometime next year, the issue of alleged links of Elizabeth Coleburn a British national and wife Gaurav Gogoi with Pakistan spy agency ISI (Inter Services Intelligence) has taken on a political colour. One must keep in mind that Gaurav Gogoi is the son of late Tarun Gogoi, the longest serving Chief Minister of Assam and Deputy Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
The matter has become serious with the Assam Cabinet ordering the Director General of Police to institute a case against a Pakistani national Ali Tarique Sheikh (with whom Gogoi’s wife had worked in Islamabad) for his alleged “explicit involvement” along with other “actors of a climate action group” in matters concerning India’s internal affairs.
The Cabinet directed an extensive inquiry to ascertain “whether these activities are part of a larger conspiracy and to identify any sympathisers or associates within Assam and across India who may be aiding Sheikh’s anti-India agenda”. It pointed out that Assam had heightened vigilance being a hotspot for ISI-sponsored activities. It has also alleged that Sheikh’s social media posts were critical of Assam government and central government allegedly aimed at affecting India’s national interests and communal harmony.
It was alleged that Ali Sheikh’s social media posts showed that he has been in contact with Elizabeth Coleburn. A political bomb shell. ” Ali Sheikh has also founded LEAD Pakistan, a non-profit organisation working in the field of climate change and Elizabeth Coleburn was an integral part of LEAD Pakistan during her time spent in Islamabad. Furthermore, both Ali Sheikh and Elizabeth Gogoi, have been a part of a global climate action group called the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) which operates in both India and Pakistan,” according to Assam Chief Minister.
The participation of Elizabeth in election rallies in Kaliabor, Assam have also been objected to violating the visa rules.Naturally the matter must be investigated and if proved true Ali Tariq Sheikh will be in serious trouble. On the face of it Ali Tauqeer Sheikh’s credentials seem to be above board. He is a distinguished expert on Climate Finance and the founding director and former chief executive of think-tank LEAD Pakistan.
Sheikh, who chairs the Asia Pacific Group within the newly established Loss and Damage Fund, COP 28. He has been on the Pakistan Climate Change Council and the Planning Commission of Pakistan, as well as he has been in advisory positions and prominent boards and committees. The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) is considering legal action against those alleging that Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi and his wife have links to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. Now a person of Tauqeer Sheikh’s international eminence, can he be linked with Pakistan’s ISI? Only a thorough investigation can find out.
On the face of it, it does not seem so but the Assam government that has ordered the investigation is now duty bound to find the truth and let the world know. He is in the new review Committee set up by the Pakistani Prime Minister to review climate change governance mechanism to access climate funds. He gives academic lectures on the complex mechanisms and structures that govern climate funding.
He is member of Pakistan Climate Change Council. He is adviser on Climate Change to the Planning Comission of Pakistan. Why is Ali Tariq Sheikh who has been visiting India before under radar now? He came and spoke at the 13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit from Pakistan. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on the other had alleged that the BJP was targeting him and his wife with an eye on the forthcoming Assam elections next year.
The Opposition has always alleged that the ruling BJP always targets Opposition members on all kinds of charges including corruption. They point to the glaring examples of Delhi, Jharkhand. “The disinformation they are spreading now proves the weakness of the Assam BJP,” Gogoi has said. Gogoi’s meeting with Pakistani High Commissioner to India in 2015 is also being questioned.
Elizabeth Gogoi, had worked with Climate Development and Knowledge Network (CDKN), Asia, between 2011 and 2015, during which time she had also worked in Pakistan. Mr Sheikh was the Director Asia of CDKN from 2009 to 2016. According to the Chief Minister’s allegation regarding Sheikh “… a perusal of his social media activity includes exhaustive commentary on India’s internal affairs and parliamentary matters raising serious concerns on the said individual’s intention to compromise and damage India’s interests,”.
It was alleged that Sheikh’s posts were criticising the Centre and the Assam government over a number of issues. The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) is considering legal action against those alleging that Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi and his wife have links to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.