Guwahati: Guwahati witnessed high political drama on Wednesday as police detained several Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) leaders following a massive protest.
APCC workers organized the protest over the ‘political vendetta’ by gheraoing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office at G.S. Road in Guwahati.
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As part of a nationwide agitation initiated by the Indian National Congress, thousands of APCC workers marched from Rajiv Bhawan to the ED office on G.S. Road, against what it terms the “draconian” approach of the Modi government.
Protesters held placards and chanted slogans like “Modi, Go Back” and “Amit Shah, Go Back.”
A brief scuffle broke out as police intervened with an attempt to disperse the protestors.
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Police detained several senior Congress leaders, including APCC President Bhupen Borah, former MP Ripun Bora, Congress leader Mira Borthakur, Sarukhetri MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, and others.
Police bundled the detained individuals into a bus and took them into custody.
Addressing the media moments before his detention, Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of misusing central investigative agencies to silence dissent and stifle political opposition.
Bordoloi alleged that the central government has systematically targeted journalists and opposition leaders, particularly those from the Congress, for voicing criticism.
He also condemned the Enforcement Directorate’s action against the National Herald, a newspaper founded by Jawaharlal Nehru during India’s freedom movement.
“Targeting a historic publication like National Herald is not just politically motivated, it’s undemocratic and disgraceful,” Bordoloi added.
The Congress party organized the protest in response to recent actions by the Enforcement Directorate, including the attachment of National Herald properties and the filing of charge sheets against senior party figures Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Congress leaders have denounced these actions as politically driven moves aimed at silencing dissent and destabilizing the opposition.
Meanwhile, APCC President Bhupen Borah claimed that the Enforcement Directorate no longer functions independently. It has become a ‘political weapon’ in the hands of the ruling party.
“We will not remain silent while our leaders are targeted. We stand united in this fight for justice,” he said.
Echoing Borah’s remarks, senior leader Ripun Bora accused the central government of launching an assault on democratic institutions.
“The BJP has turned agencies like the ED and CBI into tools of repression. This protest is about defending the Constitution and protecting the soul of Indian democracy,” he asserted.
Other APCC leaders and workers also condemned the central government’s alleged strategy of using investigative agencies to suppress political opposition. They pledged to continue their resistance and uphold democratic values in the face of what they described as a deliberate attempt to dismantle institutional integrity.
The protest in Guwahati was one of many held across the country, as Congress workers rallied nationwide against what they claim is an increasingly authoritarian approach by the Modi-led government.
Notably, the Enforcement Directorate filed a chargesheet on April 9 in a Delhi court, naming Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and others, along with the companies Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne is overseeing the proceedings and has scheduled the next hearing for April 25.
The ED has charged the accused under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including sections that cover corporate liability. If convicted, the charges could result in prison sentences of up to seven years.