Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday indirectly targeted Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, questioning the prolonged foreign citizenship of Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colebourn, who has held foreign citizenship for 12 years since their marriage.
In a post on social media platform X, CM Sarma shared insights from a conversation he had with an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer in Singapore.
He highlighted the stringent rules for IFS officers, who are required to obtain government approval before marrying a foreign national.
Additionally, if permission is granted, the foreign spouse must acquire Indian citizenship within six months.
However, Sarma pointed out that such regulations do not seem to apply to lawmakers, noting that “allowing a foreign spouse of a lawmaker to retain foreign citizenship for 12 years is far too long.”
He added, “Loyalty to the nation must always take precedence over all other considerations.”
Elizabeth Colebourn, a British national, had previously worked with Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a senior advisor to Pakistan’s Planning Commission, which has raised further questions, given Gaurav Gogoi’s position as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Indian Parliament.
Gogoi, who married Colebourn in 2013, entered active politics shortly after, winning his first Lok Sabha seat in 2014 from the Kaliabor constituency in Assam.
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Meanwhile, Sarma, who was in Singapore for an official visit, also met with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to discuss Assam’s potential as a hub for global investments.
Sarma shared his experience on social media, calling the meeting an honour.
The discussions focused on Assam’s strategic role in the India-Singapore Comprehensive Partnership, with particular emphasis on strengthening collaborations in emerging sectors such as semiconductors, green energy, and advanced technologies.
Sarma expressed his hope that industry players from Singapore would partner with Assam in establishing a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Jagiroad, Morigaon district.
