While Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged security issues faced by party leader Rahul Gandhi during his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Assam over the past few days, the Congress scion on Wednesday, in a message to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, said: "file as many cases as you can against me."
The letter and Rahul Gandhi's message come amid Assam Police's sum motu FIR against the Congress leader and other leaders for “wanton acts of violence”.
The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Jatra is currently in Assam and the alleged acts of violence took place while the party supporters and leaders broke barricades and clashed with police personnel in their bid to enter Guwahati, allegedly deviating from the approved route.
"With reference to wanton acts of violence, provocation, damage to public property and assault on police personnel today by Congress members, an FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Kanhaiya Kumar and other individuals...," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on X on Tuesday.
'File As Many Cases...': Rahul to Assam CM
As the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered the seventh day in Assam on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi made an address and slammed BJP leader and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for getting him booked. "File as many cases as you can against me, BJP-RSS can't intimidate me," Rahul Gandhi said during his Nyay Yatra in Assam on Wednesday.
"BJP, RSS want to wipe out language, culture, history of Assam; they want to run Assam from Nagpur," Rahul Gandhi said, adding that Assam CM is the "most corrupt in India", involved in land, areca nut and other scams."
What Kharge Said In Letter To Shah
In his letter to Amit Shah, Congress President Kharge said there have been "several instances where the Assam Police has been found wanting in providing that Rahul Gandhi is entitled to as a Z+ security."
Kharge listed out such incidents in Sibsagar district, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Nagaon. Kharge said on the first day of the Yatra in the state, Assam Police was found protecting the posters of the BJP in Amguri, Sibsagar district instead of ensuring safe passage for the Yatra.
The next day, “miscreants associated with the BJP” were caught defacing and taking down posters and hoardings of the Yatra in Lakhimpur district, the Congress chief said.
Later, when the Yatra returned from Arunachal Pradesh, there was “another outrageous attack” on the Yatra in Sonitpur district, where the local Superintendent of Police happens to be the brother of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Kharge said.
"He watched to see that BJP workers attacked and manhandled the Indian National Congress Social Media team, along with our General Secretary, Shri. Jairam Ramesh. Shri Ramesh's car was attacked, while miscreants shouting anti-BJNY (Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra) slogans, tearing off the BJNY sticker on the vehicle, and attempting to throw water on the passengers inside,” the Congress chief said.
Assam CM Sarma had earlier on Tuesday instructed Director General of Police GP Singh to register a case against Gandhi for "provoking the crowd" after Congress workers were seen breaking barriers and raising slogans to enter Guwahati after police put up barriers.
Rahul Gandhi later addressed party supporters on the outskirts of the city, and said, "We have broken barricades, but will not break the law". The police, which had set up barricades at two places to prevent the Yatra from entering the city limits, had to use force to stop the Congress workers.
