Guwahati, Jan 26 (IANS) The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday intensified its political attack on state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, alleging that he skipped Republic Day celebrations, a charge the Congress has not officially responded to.

In a post on social media platform X, BJP Assam said, “We are hereby reporting a missing person. On this Republic Day of India, the people of Assam have been unable to locate Gaurav Gogoi, celebrating this special day of our nation.”

The post added that while Gogoi was not obliged to celebrate Republic Day, the party was “hopeful to be proven wrong,” stating that even “one photo of him unfurling the National Flag would be enough.”

State Minister Pijush Hazarika also took to X, claiming that sources within the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee had confirmed that its president skipped the Republic Day celebrations in Guwahati.

“My sources in @INCAssam confirmed that their President skipped Republic Day celebrations in Guwahati,” Hazarika wrote.

The latest salvo comes amid a sustained BJP campaign targeting Gogoi over his alleged links with Pakistan, an issue that has dominated Assam’s political discourse in recent months.

BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, have repeatedly accused Gogoi of maintaining questionable associations connected to Pakistan, alleging that such links raise concerns about his political intent and credibility.

Gogoi and the Congress have consistently rejected the allegations, terming them baseless, politically motivated and aimed at diverting attention from governance issues.

The Congress leadership has accused the BJP of using nationalism as a political weapon to malign opponents, especially in the run-up to crucial elections.

Political observers note that the Republic Day controversy is part of a broader strategy by the BJP to keep the spotlight on Gogoi, who is seen as a key Congress face in Assam.

The party has frequently questioned his public positions on national security and foreign policy, linking them to its claims of Pakistan connections.

As the war of words escalates on social media and public platforms, the absence or presence of political leaders at national celebrations has once again become a flashpoint in Assam’s sharply polarised political environment.

–IANS

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