Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that a case has been registered against several Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, and other party workers.
The legal action follows clashes between Congress workers and the police, triggered by the denial of permission for Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to pass through Guwahati’s main routes.
Chief Minister Sarma stated that the FIR has been filed by the police due to “wanton acts of violence, provocation, damage to public property, and assault on police personnel today (January 23) by Congress members.”
In a tweet, Sarma detailed the charges against the individuals involved. “With reference to wanton acts of violence, provocation, damage to public property, and assault on police personnel today by Cong members, a FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Kanhaiya Kumar, and other individuals under section 120(B)143/147/188/283/353/332/333/427 IPC R/W Sec. 3 of PDPP Act,” Sarma wrote on Twitter.
The filing of the case occurred shortly after the chief minister instructed the Assam DGP to take action against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly “provoking the crowd” to break barricades, describing their actions as “Naxalite tactics.”
Sarma expressed his directive in response to a post by Youth Congress president Srinivas BV.
Following Sarma’s instructions, Assam DGP GP Singh confirmed that the actions were by the law.
He mentioned, “Unruliness and violation of ASL decision, including an attempt to change the route through force, is also being taken up with appropriate agencies.”
In the aftermath of Congress workers breaking barricades, the police employed force to bring the situation under control.
Subsequently, Rahul Gandhi addressed party workers and supporters on the outskirts of the city, lauding them as “babbar sher” (lions) strong enough to overcome barricades. “We have broken barricades, but we will not break the law,” he asserted.
Assam Congress president Bhupen Kr Borah and few other Congress leaders sustained minor injuries in the clash with police.