Nyay Yatra: Congress alleges attack on Jairam Ramesh's car by 'BJP crowd' in Assam's Sonitpur

The Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra is on its fourth day in the state, travelling from Biswanth district through Sonitpur to Nagaon.

Guwahati: The Opposition Congress on Sunday charged that BJP workers in Assam attacked the party leaders and threatened its workers who were joining in large numbers in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, which re-entered the state after two days in Arunachal Pradesh.

The party said that "BJP goons" attacked the vehicle of senior leader Jairam Ramesh' and president of the party's Assam unit, Bhupen Kumar Borah, in North Assam's Sonitpur district on Sunday. Borah sustained injury on his nose in the attack at Jamugurihat, said Congress.

The party alleged that the yatra was facing maximum problems in Assam unlike in other BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Haryana.

"The yatra has covered 15 states, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. There was no stone pelting and no attack on our workers there. But here in Assam, BJP workers are attacking our workers and leaders and are trying to threaten us. This is happening because CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is doing so under the dictation of Narendra Modi," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said while addressing a gathering in Nagaon in Central Assam on Sunday afternoon.

The 67-day yatra began on January 14 in conflict-hit Manipur and is scheduled to culminate in Mumbai on March 20. It will cover 6,713kms traversing15 states.

Gandhi, who addressed the crowd after Kharge, said that BJP and its workers are trying to threaten the people but people are taking part in large numbers and showering their love. "BJP today is not talking about unemployment, problems being faced by our farmers and the small traders. Modiji is running the country alone and is handing over the resources to his corporate friends, Adaniji is one of them." Rahul said.

Manipur burning:

Talking about the violence in Manipur, Rahul alleged that BJP lit fire in the state where many have died and firing is on for the past eight months. "Manipur has been burning for nearly eight months but our Prime Minister has not visited the state yet. The government can stop the fire in Manipur. If the Prime Minister orders, our army can stop the fire in three days. But BJP does not want the firing to stop and so the PM is not giving the order," he said.

Permission denied:

Congress said the BJP-led government denied permission to the Yatra to enter Guwahati city on Monday saying this would cause inconvenience to the city residents. Rahul was also scheduled to address the media at Gauhati Press Club, situated inside the city.

The party's Assam unit president Bhupen Kumar Borah alleged that petrol pumps denied fuel to vehicles used by the party workers and leaders joining the yatra, their posters torn away and even batteries of some of the boats used during the Yatra to riverine island Majuli were also removed. All these are being done as per instruction of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, he alleged.