GUWAHATI: Senior Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia has lodged an FIR against chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for ‘suggesting’ burning down the residence of Sonia Gandhi.

Congress leader Debabrata Saikia filed the FIR at the Nazira Model police station in Sivasagar district of Assam on Wednesday (September 20) night.

“Sarma has given a clear instigation towads violence and arson,” the Assam Congress leader stated in his FIR.

“By suggesting that the residence of a 77-year-old lady be burnt down, Sri Sarma is not just attacking a prominent face of the opposition, but he is giving a clarion call towards arson,” said Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia in the FIR.

He added: “This is a clear instigation towards rioting and abetment of arson on the part of Sri Himanta Biswa Sarma and he is liable to be booked under sections 153 and sections 115/436 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).”

This FIR by the Congress leader comes in response to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s “hate speech” on September 18 in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, where he targeted the Congress party leadership.

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“I challenge Kamal Nath. If you are a Hanuman Bhakt, you should burn down the 10 Janpath just like Lord Hanuman torched Lanka,” Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had said while campaigning for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh.

“You (Congress leader Kamal Nath) should burn 10 Janpath,” Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had said.

It may be mentioned here that 10 Janpath is the residence of former UPA chairperson and Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi.

Besides being the current residence of Sonia Gandhi, 10 Janpath also holds great historic importance.

10 Janpath was also the residence of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who succeeded Jawaharlal Nehru in the 1960s.

It was also the official residence of former PM Rajiv Gandhi, although he lived at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg (7 Race Course Road) while he was Prime Minister.

Adjacent to the complex, facing the roundabout, is Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial at 1 Motilal Nehru Place.