Guwahati, Assam: The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a dramatic turn in Assam on Tuesday as clashes erupted between party workers and the police, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ordered a case against Gandhi for allegedly provoking the crowd.
The day began with controversy as Gandhi claimed he was denied permission to interact with students at a private university in Meghalaya due to alleged intervention by the Union Home Minister. This sparked outrage among Congress supporters, who accused the BJP government of stifling dissent.
As the Yatra entered Guwahati, the situation escalated further. A large number of police personnel were deployed to prevent the Yatra from entering the city, leading to a standoff with Congress workers. Videos circulating on social media showed heated exchanges and pushing and shoving between the two sides.
In the midst of the chaos, Assam CM Sarma took to social media to announce that he had directed the state police to register a case against Gandhi for inciting the crowd. He accused the Congress leader of employing “naxalite tactics” that were “alien to Assamese culture,” and claimed that the Yatra’s disruption had caused massive traffic jams in the city.
Sarma’s statement further fueled the fire, with the Congress hitting back and demanding a judicial probe into the alleged assault on their state president Bhupen Bora and unruly behavior by BJP supporters. The party also accused the CM of trying to divert attention from the real issues facing the state.
With tensions running high and accusations flying from both sides, the remaining two days of the Yatra in Assam are likely to be tense. Whether the Yatra concludes peacefully or further clashes occur remains to be seen. The incident has undoubtedly added a new layer of drama to the already high-profile Yatra, and its ramifications will be closely watched in the coming days.
