Gaurav Gogoi appointed India-Philippines friendship Group President, Congress cites 'Pakistan link' propaganda exposed

Guwahati: As the name of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi figuring among the Parliamentary Friendship Groups constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) said that the development has exposed the "political propaganda" to establish that Gaurav Gogoi has links with Pakistan.

The Lok Sabha Speaker appointed Lok Sabha MP from Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi as the President of the India–Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group. The group has been constituted to promote cooperation, mutual understanding, and institutional collaboration between India and the Philippines.

"By entrusting Gaurav Gogoi with the leadership of the group, the Lok Sabha leadership has assigned him the responsibility of advancing legislative dialogue and fostering closer engagement with members of the Philippine Parliament," said APCC leaders while adding that this has exposed the recent propaganda by the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to establish that Gogoi has some links with Pakistan.


"Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made desperate attempts to portray APCC President and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, as an agent of Pakistan. Today, by appointing Gaurav Gogoi as President of the India–Philippines Friendship Group, the Lok Sabha Speaker has sent a clear message that there is trust in him at both the national and international levels,” said the Assam Congress leaders.

On February 8 thisbyear, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had brought national-level journalists to Guwahati and, at a press conference, announced that the file related to an SIT probe into Gogoi’s alleged “Pakistan link” had been forwarded to the Union Home Ministry.

The APCC stated that the appointment by the Lok Sabha Speaker has exposed what it described as politically motivated propaganda and aggressive investigation, and that by appointing him as President of the India–Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group, the Lok Sabha has demonstrated respect and confidence in Gaurav Gogoi at the national and international levels.

Assam Opposition Leader and Senior Congress member Debabrata Saikia said that the development was a “fitting reply” and that the politics of misinformation had clearly been defeated."

"A false propaganda had been carried out to mislead the public and demanded that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and MP as well as Assam BJP State President Dilip Saikia tender an unconditional public apology before the people for the misinformation campaign," said APCC Media Department Chairman Bedabrat Bora.