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

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 "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.

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 be 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

Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, 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.

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