Guwahati: Rahul Gandhi will be arrested after this year’s Lok Sabha elections, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared on Wednesday. The Congress stalwart, whose ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ is passing through Assam, is facing a police case for allegedly instigating “wanton acts of violence” in the state.
“We have filed an FIR. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) will conduct the investigation and he (Gandhi) will be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections”, Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme at Nazira in Sibsagar district.
The Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held before May this year.
Why Assam Police registered FIR against Rahul Gandhi?
The Assam police took suo moto cognizance of alleged violence during Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and registered an FIR against a host of Congress leaders. The police have clamped sections that deal with criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting, assault or criminal force to deter public servants from discharging their duty, damaging public property and others.Director General of Police G P Singh said that the case has been transferred to the Assam CID.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi steps up attack on Himanta Sarma: ‘Remote controlled by PM Modi’
Himanta Biswa Sarma had ordered the FIR against Gandhi for allegedly instigating the crowd to break barricades and enter Guwahati on Tuesday.
During the scuffle, several Congress leaders and workers and four police personnel sustained minor injuries.
The Assam government said the Congress workers were asked to take a highway to reach Kamrup (Rural) district but they tried to take the Guwahati thoroughfare.
On Monday, Sarma asked Gandhi to not visit the birthplace of Assamese icon Srimanta Sankardeva in Nagaon district due to Ram Temple festivities. Gandhi was letter stopped from visiting the shrine.
Rahul Gandhi dares BJP, Himanta Biswa Sarma
Rahul Gandhi today dared the Assam government to file as many cases as it can.
“I don’t know how Himanta Biswa Sarma got the idea that he can intimidate me by filing cases…. File 25 more cases. BJP-RSS can’t intimidate me,” he added.
Earlier today, responding to the Congress charge that the Yatra was being stopped in Assam, Sarma said: “How did they reach Barpeta from Nagaon…..by a rocket launcher? It is just that they were asked not to take a particular road but another. They indulged in violent behaviour attacking public servants who were on duty”.
Gandhi and Sarma have been sniping at each other for several days. Both of them have called each other coward and corrupt.
In a post on X, Sarma claimed Gandhi fled the city in his fancy bus.
”Interesting. After instigating Congress workers to orchestrate violence, Rahul Gandhi (who is on a Bus Yatra) quietly came out of his fancy bus and fled the city in a small car to Hajo, his next destination. Rahul has set a new standard for being a Darpok. Ha ha”.
With inputs from PTI
