Guwahati: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has approached the Assam State Commission for Women, seeking a formal inquiry into the alleged assault and harassment of women leaders during the party’s Parivartan Yatra ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred at Bihaguri under the Barchalla CDC when the Congress convoy was travelling from Tezpur to Dhekiajuli along National Highway-15. The party alleged that individuals linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blocked the convoy, heckled women leaders, and made obscene and derogatory remarks in public, thereby amounting to an affront to their dignity.
The Congress further alleged that a woman leader who tried to intervene and protect the convoy was physically assaulted and sustained injuries. Those injured include senior APCC spokesperson Rupa Kalita Das, Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress general secretary Trishna Bora Kakati, and Sonitpur District Mahila Congress president Sampurna Saikia.
At the time of the alleged incident, the bus near which the assault took place was carrying several senior Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh, Assam PCC president Gaurav Gogoi, CLP leader Debabrata Saikia, AICC special observer Bandhu Tirkey, MPs Pradyut Bordoloi and Rakibul Hussain, and Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur.
The complaint submitted to the Commission includes digital evidence and seeks action under provisions of the Assam State Commission for Women Act, 1994, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The alleged offences cited range from insulting the modesty of women and voluntarily causing hurt to wrongful restraint and unlawful assembly.
The Congress has also sought an examination of the role of police personnel deployed at the site, alleging possible negligence or dereliction of duty, and urged the Commission to take cognisance of the matter and initiate strict legal action against those responsible.