Assam Mahila Congress files police complaint against Himanta

The complaint claimed that Sarma had asked Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath to set fire to 10, Janpath in New Delhi like Lanka was burnt down by Lord Hanuman in the Ramayana.

The Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress Saturday filed a police complaint against state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his alleged hate speeches during a poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh.

The complaint, which was filed by Mahila Congress president Mira Barthakur Goswami at Dispur police station, claimed that Sarma had asked Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath to set fire to 10, Janpath in New Delhi like Lanka was burnt down by Lord Hanuman in the Ramayana.

10, Janpath is the address of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's residence and Sarma had made the alleged statement during a rally in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh on September 18.

"This speech was made in order to spread communal hatred by bringing in Hindu religious sentiments into play," the complaint said and urged the police to register a case under relevant sections of the law.

"As such, the call for burning down 10, Janpath is an open invitation to the public to indulge in arson and riots by using Hindu religious sentiments," Barthakur Goswami said.

She said that though the statement was made in Madhya Pradesh, it has been widely circulated in print, electronic and social media which are accessible in Assam.

"The affects of the instigation of communal hatred and violent activities will definitely affect the sentiments of the people of Assam and disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of the state as well as the whole country in the name of religion," the complaint alleged.

Dispur police station officer-in-charge Rupam Hazarika told PTI that the police have started an enquiry and a decision to register the FIR will be taken thereafter.

The Leader of Opposition in Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia too had filed a complaint against Sarma on September 20 at Nazira police station in Sivasagar district for his alleged comments but no FIR has been registered yet.

On September 21, Assam Congress Chief Bhupen Kumar Borah wrote to Kamal Nath to file a police case against Sarma for allegedly making hate speeches.

Borah in his letter had pointed out that the Supreme Court has recently directed all states and union territories to register cases on their own against those making hate speeches.