 "Rahul Gandhi Guwahati clash")
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Tuesday, instructed police officials to lodge a case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for "provoking the crowd" during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which was trying to enter the northeastern state.
The development followed after clashes broke out between Congress workers and Assam police on the Guwahati border earlier today. Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the workers from the site.
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Sarma, quoting a viral video of the clash shared by a Congress leader on social media platform 'X', said, "These are not part of Assamese culture. We are a peaceful state. Such 'Naxalite tactics' are completely alien to our culture."
"I have instructed the Assam police to register a case against your leader Rahul Gandhi for provoking the crowd and use the footage you have posted on your handles as the evidence," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister said further.
Sarma also claimed that the situation caused by the "unruly behaviour" of the Congress has resulted in a massive traffic jam in the capital city Guwahati.
On being stopped at the border, Rahul Gandhi had addressed the Congress workers from his 'Mohabbat ki Dukan' bus earlier. “...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…,” Gandhi is seen saying in a video, shared by the party handle on ‘X’.
“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,” the caption of the video, shared by the Congress party read.
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— Congress (@INCIndia) January 23, 2024
आज असम में जिस रास्ते से ‘भारत जोड़ो न्याय यात्रा’ निकलनी है।
इसी रास्ते से बजरंग दल और जेपी नड्डा की रैली निकली लेकिन हमारी पदयात्रा को रोक दिया गया है।
कांग्रेस के कार्यकर्ताओं ने रास्ते पर लगे बैरिकेड हटा दिए हैं। इसलिए ये मत सोचिए कि कांग्रेस का कार्यकर्ता कमजोर है।… pic.twitter.com/swYuJkFwBC
The video, shared by Srinivas BV, the chief of Congress's youth wing - Indian Youth Congress (IYC) – showed people in civilian clothes attempting to remove barricades as the police made efforts to stop the crowd. According to reports, the Congress rally was not allowed from the centre of Guwahati city, so the route was closed by the police.
"There is a conspiracy to stop Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra once again by putting up barricades. But we will not let this happen now.. Use as many sticks as you want.. this war will continue now.." the IYC chief said.
In another video, shared by the party's official handle, the Congress workers can be seen toppling the barricades to make way for the yatra's route amid heavy police deployment in the area.
अहंकार ध्वस्त हुआ
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 23, 2024
असम के मुख्यमंत्री और दिल्ली में बैठे उनके मालिक का अहंकार कांग्रेस के बब्बर शेरों ने ध्वस्त कर दिया।
"कोई भी शक्ति इस यात्रा को नहीं रोक सकती" ???? pic.twitter.com/u3cDSPWpkA
"Ego shattered. The arrogance of the Chief Minister of Assam and his boss sitting in Delhi was destroyed by the fierce lions of Congress. No power can stop this journey," the party handle said, sharing the video.
Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' was launched on January 14 from Manipur. A key political campaign aimed at boosting the Congress' grassroots connections ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the yatra seeks to cover 15 states and 110 districts from the east to the west of India, stretching over 6,700 km.
According to the party's schedule, it is expected to conclude in Mumbai, Maharashtra, around March 20.
