Assam police have summoned Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah on January 31 in connection with an FIR registered at the Jorhat police station for allegedly deviating from the permitted Bharat Jodo Yatra Route on January 18, the first day of the Assam leg that concluded on Thursday morning.
Borah, who was attacked by a youth in Jamugurihat while trying to ease tension between the BJP and the Congress members on January 22, has responded by saying he was ready to go to jail.
He was served a notice under 41(A) of the CrPC on Thursday by the investigating officer of the case, Hirok Jyoti Changmai. Failure to appear or comply with the terms of the notice can render Borah “liable for arrest under Section 41 A (3) and (4) of the CrPC”.
The notice under Section 41A of the CrPC is a notice for appearance, requiring a person to appear before the investigating officer at the specified place and time if there is credible information against him.
The Jorhat police slapped the suo motu case against the organisers of the Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra after it did not take the approved route and the sudden change of route led to traffic disruption and clash with security personnel as Congress members and supporters broke through barricades put up on the Gar Ali Road in Jorhat town on January 18 afternoon. The case has been filed, among others, against K.B. Byju, who is part of Rahul Gandhi’s personal security team.
Like the case FIR lodged by Guwahati police against Rahul and other senior Congress leaders on Tuesday, this case too has been registered under IPC sections dealing with criminal conspiracy, abetment of an offence, unlawful assembly, rioting, violating order promulgated by public servant criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty, and relevant sections of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act, among others.
The Assam Police had on Wednesday transferred the case filed against Rahul and other senior Congress leaders for “violation of laws” in Guwahati to the state Crime Investigation Department (CID).
Borah returned to Guwahati on Thursday after the Yatra entered West Bengal In the morning. Both the send-off from Assam Dhubri district and the welcome accorded to the Yatra in Bengal were grand, according to a Congress member.
“All is well that ends well. There were a lot of controversies and conflict and confusion during the Assam leg. But we survived and made an impact,” the member said.
Borah told media persons that he was ready to go to jail for “breaking barricades” but it was in protest to dent the “arrogance” of the chief minister. He said they will not seek bail in the case.
Borah also mentioned the incident in which he was head-butted by a burly youth leaving him with a bleeding nose but “ if I have to go to jail, I will go.” Congress and Opposition parties have demanded the arrest of the burly man who attacked Borah.
Borah also said the Congress was planning a yatra with Priyanka Gandhi in 2024 from Sadiya with as much enthusiasm as the ongoing Yatra.
He also said that the chief minister’s threat to act against Rahul after the Lok Sabha elections means the BJP-led reign is coming to an end.
In a post on X earlier, Borah had said, “TIGER ZINDA HAI Nobody in Indian politics has been more attacked, villified or trolled than @RahulGandhi ji. The attacks on me are minor compared to him. But let me tell @himantabiswa one thing: Tiger Zinda Hai. Watch out!” He was alluding to Rahul Gandhi as tiger for the “manner he led the Yatra for justice”.
Rahul, while meeting individuals and civil society organisations to understand their problems and find solutions, had targetted chief minister through the Assam leg, describing him as the “most corrupt CM in India”. Sarma too hit back by accusing the Gandhi family of being the “most corrupt in India”.
Assam Congress Legislature party leader Debabrata Saikia expressed concern over the alleged attempts by the BJP-led state government to derail the Yatra, flagging the attacks on Yatra vehicles and leaders and not granting permissions for fields to hold Yatra activities.