Do Gaurav Gogoi’s children stand up for the National Anthem? Minister’s remarks spark row

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to Assam, state minister Pijush Hazarika launched a sharp political attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, raising questions over his proposed legal action against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the citizenship of his children.

Addressing the media after attending a BJP organisational meeting at Barhampur, Hazarika made some strong remarks against Gaurav Gogoi, particularly over his repeated statements about moving court against the Chief Minister.

“Whenever Gaurav Gogoi goes to court, he will land himself in trouble. For so long he has been saying he will go to court, but he hasn’t gone. So he won’t go,” Hazarika said.

Referring to the Chief Minister’s long-standing allegations against Gogoi, Hazarika questioned the Congress leader’s silence on legal action. “For a long time, Himanta Biswa Sarma has been saying that Gaurav Gogoi is a Pakistani agent. If that is so, he should have filed a defamation case long ago. He knows that he himself will get trapped,” the cabinet minister remarked.

Hazarika also dragged the issue of Gogoi’s family into the political debate, urging that the children of the Congress MP be granted Indian citizenship and raised according to Indian traditions. “Bring Tarun Gogoi’s grandchildren back to Indian traditions. Raise them according to Indian traditions, according to Ahom traditions, and give them Indian citizenship,” he said.

Making a controversial remark on religion, Hazarika added, “If someone is born Christian, that is different. But if they convert, it hurts the sentiments of Assamese people and Indian people.”

The minister further alleged that Gogoi’s children do not need to stand up for the national anthem due to their citizenship status. “Whenever Jana Gana Mana is played, my children stand up as a mark of respect. But Gaurav Gogoi’s children are not obliged to stand up, as they are not Indian citizens in the first place. That is a painful thing to watch, especially when they are the grandchildren of a former chief minister,” he said.

Drawing a comparison with the Gandhi family, Hazarika remarked, “Just like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi did not take Italian citizenship and chose to remain Indian, I request Gaurav Gogoi to give up British citizenship for his children.”

He concluded by saying, “If the people ever make him Chief Minister, that would be a big matter,” while reiterating his appeal that Gogoi’s children be granted Indian citizenship.

The remarks are expected to further intensify the political sparring between the BJP and the Congress in Assam ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit and the upcoming political programmes.

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