BJP trying to create goondaraj in Assam, says Gogoi

A day after a pitch battle between BJP and Congress supporters, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday accused the former party of trying to bring “Goondaraj” in Assam ahead of the Assembly polls.

The chief minister felt the saffron party wanted to come to power in Assam using “muscle power”. He also alleged that Himanta Biswa Sarma, a former state minister and currently a BJP leader in the state, is the mastermind behind the reported attack on the state Congress’s headquarters on Monday.

While addressing a press conference in state capital Dispur, Gogoi said Sarma might have also a hand behind the pitch battle.

The state government has ordered an inquiry into the attack.

“Never in Assam’s history such incident has happened where the office of a political party is vandalised like it happened on Monday. Not even during the days of Assam agitation (1979-1985) led by All Assam Students Union did any such attack take place. Militant outfit Ulfa killed our leaders but never attacked our offices or office of any political party.” Gogoi said.

The trouble began on Sunday when senior Congress MLA and former minister Nilamoni Sen Deka made derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and HRD Minister Smriti Irani. The BJP launched a statewide protest soon after.

The Assam Police arrested 10 BJP leaders and workers from Guwahati in connection with the clash that saw more than 20 workers from both the parties sustaining injuries.

According to police sources, the police arrested BJP state general secretary Vijay Gupta, state spokesperson Rupam Goswami and young leader Diganta Kalita, besides seven others.

The ruling Congress lodged an FIR against these BJP leaders at Bhangagarh police station in the city the previous day after which the police registered cases under sections 147,148,149,326 and 353 of the IPC with charges of armed rioting and voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

The BJP has also registered an FIR. Senior state police officials told Deccan Herald that action will be taken on that as well.

On Tuesday, the Congress also filed an FIR against Sarma accusing him of provoking the BJP supporters to attack the Congress’s office.
DH News Service