Rahul Gandhi Faces Police Case In Assam For "Violence" During His Yatra

A police case has been filed against Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders "with reference to wanton acts of violence" during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the BJP-ruled Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared on X this evening. This comes amid a huge political spat - broadcast by both the parties on X - between the two leaders that escalated today after Mr Sarma directed the police to file a criminal case against the former Congress president for "provoking the crowd". "They are filing a case because there is fear in their mind," was Mr Gandhi's response.

The Assam Police has also filed a First Information Report or FIR against KC Venugopal and Kanhaiya Kumar.

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…

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 23, 2024

The latest standoff began when Rahul Gandhi's march reentered Assam From Meghalaya today. The yatra was denied permission to enter Guwahati thoroughfares and was instead asked to take the national highway bypassing the city. This triggered a protest by the Congress workers who broke police barricades and raised slogans, a video of the same was posted by several Congress leaders on their X handles and was later used by the Assam government as "evidence" for registering a police case.

"I have instructed @DGPAssamPolice  to register a case against your leader @RahulGandhi  for provoking the crowd and use the footage you have posted on your handles as the evidence. Your unruly behaviour and violation of agreed guidelines have resulted in a massive traffic jam in Guwahati now," Mr Sarma posted.

These are not part of Assamese culture. We are a peaceful state. Such “naxalite tactics” are completely alien to our culture.
I have instructed @DGPAssamPolice to register a case against your leader @RahulGandhi for provoking the crowd & use the footage you have posted on your… https://t.co/G84Qhjpd8h

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 23, 2024

Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the BJP was trying to disrupt the yatra as it "had the experience of the earlier yatra". "BJP had the experience of the earlier yatra, it started from Kanyakumari and they maintained that it would not have any impact. Slowly its impact started being felt and a crescendo was formed in Jammu and Kashmir. Now their thinking is to disrupt it first. The problem for them (BJP) is that by disrupting the yatra, they end up helping it," he said at a press conference.

He also claimed that he was "not allowed" to interact with students of a private university in Meghalaya at the "instructions" of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The 53-year-old leader was seen addressing a huge crowd of "students" from atop his bus after his scheduled interactions with students, civil society members and party leaders at the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, in Ri Bhoi district bordering Assam were cancelled.

Assam Chief Minister @himantabiswa canceled the permission of Rahul Gandhi to visit university students but thousands of university students gathered to listen their Hope & Leader Rahul Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/049KJSIVor

— Aaron Mathew (@AaronMathewINC) January 23, 2024

Mr Gandhi, meanwhile, insisted that the Congress is benefiting from "what the Assam Chief Minister is doing as the yatra has become the main issue in Assam".

The Congress has been accusing the state government of deliberately hindering the Rahul Gandhi-led yatra that would be in Assam till Thursday.

The yatra spotlighted the long-drawn bitter political duel between Rahul Gandhi and Himanta Biswa Sarma with both the leaders leaving no stones unturned in skewering each other on X and during media interactions.

The 6,713-km-long march commenced from Manipur on January 14 and will culminate on March 20 in Mumbai.