Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken a firm stance against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, instructing Assam DGP GP Singh to register a criminal case following a clash between Congress supporters and police in Guwahati during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on January 23.
The confrontation unfolded when Assam Police halted the yatra from entering the city, sparking protests from Congress workers. CM Sarma, expressing his dismay on the microblogging site ‘X’, declared, “These are not part of Assamese culture. We are a peaceful state. Such ‘naxalite tactics’ are completely alien to our culture.” He accused Rahul Gandhi of provoking the crowd and violating guidelines, resulting in a massive traffic jam in Guwahati.
The Assam CM, in a direct message to Gandhi, stated, “I have instructed @DGPAssamPolice to register a case against your leader @RahulGandhi for provoking the crowd & use the footage you have posted on your handles as the evidence. Your unruly behaviour and violation of agreed guidelines have resulted in a massive traffic jam in Guwahati now.”
Footage from the incident depicts Congress supporters clashing with police personnel while Gandhi observed from a distance. The yatra, aimed at uniting the country, was rerouted due to potential traffic disruptions and law and order concerns, leading to a significant police presence at the Khanapara crossing, the city’s entry point. Despite warnings from the administration, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee leaders persisted in attempting to enter the city, resulting in scuffles with security personnel.
In a separate video shared by the Assam CM, Rahul Gandhi criticised Himanta Biswa Sarma for not allowing a meeting with university students, while the university is located in Meghalaya only. CM Sarma wrote, “What a man – the programme was in Meghalaya but he is abusing Assam.”
This intensifies the political standoff between the Congress party and the Assam government, with allegations of unruly behaviour and violation of guidelines during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. In a viral video Rahul Gandhi was seen addressing the supporters and saying the barricades were here and we have thrown it.
As the situation unfolds, Assam remains at the centre of a political storm, with contrasting narratives from the Congress party and the state government. The clash and subsequent legal actions against Rahul Gandhi have added fuel to the already heated political landscape in the region.
