Assam CM actions benefit the yatra, says Rahul Gandhi on clashes in state

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged police to file a case against the Congress leader for alleged provocation amidst Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

General elections 2024: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader & Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are at the centre of a controversy as clashes marred Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra during its entry into Assam. The chief minister instructed the police to file a case against the Congress leader, and Gandhi, in response, claimed that all of the CM's tactics were benefitting his party's cause.

Responding to the Assam Chief Minister's legal actions, Rahul Gandhi told ANI, "Whatever the Assam CM is doing against the Yatra, it benefits the Yatra. The publicity that we might have not got, by doing this the Assam CM & Union Home Minister Amit Shah are helping us. Now, the main issue in Assam is the Yatra...It is their intimidation tactics...Our message of Nyay (justice) is reaching the people."

What is the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra?

Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' was launched on January 14 from Manipur and is expected to conclude on March 0 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The political campaign is aimed at boosting the Congress' grassroots connections ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The yatra seeks to cover 15 states and 110 districts spanning from the east to the west of India, over 6,700 km.

What happened in Assam?

Barricades were set up to prevent the party from entering Guwahati. The Assam chief minister claimed this was to avoid traffic jams.

Despite being stopped at the border, Rahul Gandhi addressed Congress workers from his 'Mohabbat ki Dukan' bus and said, "...through this road, Bajrang Dal and (BJP President) JP Nadda were allowed to take out rallies… but the Congress is being stopped…there was a barricade here…we toppled it and threw it away but we won’t break the law…Assam CM may break it (law)...but the Congress won’t… we are not weak…we toppled your barricades, this is the strength of the Congress’ workers…"

CM Sarma instructed the Assam police to file a case against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly provoking the crowd during the Yatra's attempt to enter the northeastern state. Clashes ensued between Congress workers and the police, resulting in a lathi-charge to disperse the workers at the Guwahati border.

The situation escalated, causing a massive traffic jam in the capital city Guwahati, with Sarma attributing the chaos to the "unruly behaviour" of the Congress.

The Assam Chief Minister accused Rahul Gandhi of using "Naxalite tactics," which he claimed were alien to the peaceful culture of Assam. Sarma, referring to a viral video of the clash, directed the police to register a case against Gandhi, citing evidence from the shared footage.

Congress' response to the barricades in Guwahati

The clashes prompted the Congress party to share a video captioned, "Barricades were put up on the route of 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Assam today. Brave Congress workers removed the barricade. But we follow the law, so the journey was carried out through the route from which we have received permission."

Rahul Gandhi later praised the police for their actions, emphasising that the Congress's fight was against the allegedly corrupt chief minister.

(With agency inputs)