Rahul Yatra in Assam: Congress leaders, including Assam Chief Bhupen Borah and party leader Jakir Hussain Sikdar, found themselves embroiled in a scuffle between participants of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and the police, as they attempted to enter Guwahati on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s decision to bar the yatra from entering Guwahati, citing potential congestion, triggered a strong reaction from Congress leaders. They accused the BJP-led state government of misusing power to thwart the Congress yatra.
As the yatris set out from Meghalaya towards Guwahati on Tuesday morning, they encountered police barricades in the Khanapara area blocking their route into the city. Attempts by the yatris to break through the barricades led to a clash with Assam Police, who used lathis to push them back.
Naveen Kumar Paswan, a Congress worker part of the yatra, reported injuries on his arms and legs, stating, “The police used lathis, and I got injuries on my arms and legs. Many others were also injured.”
In response to the confrontation, Chief Minister Sarma instructed the Assam Police to file a case against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly “provoking the crowd.” He criticized Congress workers for their “unruly behavior” and violating “agreed guidelines.”
Borah and Sikdar, both injured in the scuffle, had faced a similar situation two days earlier when a crowd carrying BJP flags attacked yatra vehicles in Assam’s Sonitpur district.
Mira Borthakur, Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president, revealed that the yatra participants, aiming to enter Guwahati, were stopped by police at Khanapara. She claimed that police barricaded roads, causing massive traffic jams and inconvenience to the public.
Amid the chaos, Rahul Gandhi and his team decided to move on from Khanapara at around 12:30 pm, continuing the yatra along the highway since they were unable to enter Guwahati due to the heavy police presence.
Earlier in the day, Rahul alleged interference in his interactions with students at a private university in Meghalaya, claiming that the Union Home Minister had instructed the university authorities through the Assam Chief Minister’s Office not to allow him to speak.
“I wanted to come to your university and address you, listen to you. But what happened is that the Home minister of India called up the Chief Minister of Assam, and the CMO called up the leadership of the university and said that Rahul Gandhi must not be allowed to speak to the students,” Rahul stated during his yatra.
On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi reacted, “Congress worker is a Babbar Sher, he is not afraid of anyone.”
