Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Uday Bhanu Chib
Credit: PTI File Photo
Guwahati: President of Indian Youth Congress (IYC), Uday Bhanu Chib was allegedly put under "house arrest" while several leaders of the opposition party in Assam were detained on Friday to prevent a protest against the death of a Congress worker two days ago.
The IYC said Chib was not allowed by Assam police to come out of his hotel in Zoo Road area in Guwahati since 5am while more than 100 other leaders and workers of Congress were detained and not to venture out in the streets.
The IYC said Chib was in Guwahati to take part in a protest against the death of party worker Mridul Islam on Wednesday and Home Minister Amit Shah's comment against BR Ambedkar. Islam, a lawyer, died during the "Raj Bhawan Chalo" programme of the Congress in Guwahati on Wednesday.
"First the murder of a congress worker, now arrest of Youth Congress president and other office bearers, BJP government in Assam is crossing all limits to stop them from staging a peaceful and democratic protest. This unlawful arrest by Assam police is totally unacceptable," IYC said. "Many other party workers in rest of the state were also not allowed to enter Guwahati to take part in the protest and in the all religious prayers in the memory of Islam."
Bhupen Kumar Borah, President of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee and former state President Ripun Bora were among the prominent leaders, who were detained by police on Friday.
Guwahati police Commissioner Diganta Barah told reporters that Chib and other Congress leaders were detained as the party planned to organise a "Dispur Chalo" programme without any permission from the administration. Dispur is the state capital.
Bhupen Borah said the action by police exposed Himanta Biswa Sarma government's autocratic style to threaten and scuttle the voices of the Opposition parties ahead of the Assembly elections in 2026.
Reacting to the developments, CM Sarma said Congress leaders tried to instigate party workers to create unrest in Guwahati and force police to open fire and then blame his government for political gains.