GUWAHATI: The Assam cabinet on Sunday directed the state’s Director General of Police to register a case against a Pakistani national, Ali Sheikh, and probe his alleged anti-India agenda.
The “Assam cabinet resolution” said following a scrutiny of Sheikh’s social media activity and information available in the public domain, it appeared he has been in contact with Elizabeth Gogoi, a British national who is Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife.
“In recent days, multiple news reports, social media posts and other information in the public domain have surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistani national, Mr Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam. Additionally, 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,” the cabinet resolution said.
It added that a closer examination of information from the public domain revealed Sheikh is an influential individual with pervasive roots in the Government of Pakistan and its leadership, having even represented the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in international forums.
“It has been brought to the attention of the Assam Cabinet via publicly available information that Mr Ali Sheikh has even served the Government of Pakistan in several advisory positions and via committees constituted by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In light of these facts and given the historical attempts of Pakistani state and non-state actors to destabilise Assam, the Government of Assam takes Mr Ali Sheikh’s attempts to interfere in the domestic matters of the State of Assam and the Republic of India with utmost seriousness,” the cabinet resolution further said.
Apart from his engagements with the Government of Pakistan, the resolution said, Sheikh founded LEAD Pakistan, a non-profit organisation working in the field of climate change. Elizabeth Gogoi was an integral part of LEAD Pakistan during her time spent in Islamabad, the resolution further stated.
Furthermore, both Mr Ali Sheikh and Smt Elizabeth Gogoi have been a part of a global climate action group called Climate and Development Knowledge Network which operates in both India and Pakistan.
The Assam Cabinet notes its concerns regarding the explicit involvement of a Pakistan-based leader and other actors of a climate action group in matters concerning India’s internal affairs thereby raising serious questions on its actual intent and operations.
The Assam cabinet ordered an extensive inquiry to ascertain whether these activities are part of a larger conspiracy and identify any sympathisers or associates within Assam and across India who may be aiding Sheikh’s anti-India agenda.
The scope of the probe includes the examination of individuals, organisations and accomplices based in Assam and the rest of India who have aided and abetted Sheikh’s actions against India, obtaining relevant assistance and information from concerned agencies and departments of central and Assam governments.
“The Assam Cabinet expects this matter to be pursued with utmost seriousness in the interest of India’s security and sovereignty. The Assam Cabinet notes that the State of Assam has historically remained a hotspot for ISI-sponsored activities, necessitating heightened vigilance and decisive action,” the cabinet resolution said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state government would expect Elizabeth Gogoi to cooperate in the investigation and share her travel documents with the police.
“Gaurav Gogoi raised certain questions in Parliament on India’s nuclear warhead. If the Assam police want to talk to him to find out if there is any direct or indirect connection, we will expect that the MP will cooperate,” Sarma said.
Earlier, BJP alleged Elizabeth Gogoi has links with ISI. Gaurav Gogoi has already stated that he will take legal recourse.