The ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress on Monday stepped up their attack against each other in Assam.
While Assam PCC and Youth Congress members staged separate protests over chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s “indecent” statement against senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, BJP’s youth and women wings filed over 1000 FIRs against Rahul for his tweet “separating” Northeast from the rest of India.
The day started with Assam PCC staging an hour-long maun vrat (vow of silence) at the Rajiv Bhavan here against Sarma’s “indecent” against Rahul’s parents — Bharat Ratna late Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi — while delivering a speech in poll-bound Uttarakhand on Friday.
Sarma had criticised Rahul for seeking proof of the surgical strikes India carried out in Pakistan in 2016 under the leadership of the late General Bipin Rawat in 2016. He had asked, “Don’t you have faith in Bipin Rawat ji? Have you no faith in our sons from Uttarakhand who are in the army? If they have said they have carried out surgical strike, they have carried out air strike, they have done it. Why do you need proof? Have I ever asked for proof that you are really the son of Rajiv Gandhi? Have I ever asked for proof? Don’t insult the army like this....”
On Monday, Sarma tweeted “videographic evidence” of the surgical strike by our brave army” in response to Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao demand that the government provides proof of the surgical strike. Rao had also sought action against Sarma for his comment against Rahul.
The Congress viewed Sarma’s remark as demeaning women, unparliamentary, unbecoming of a chief minister and lowering Assam’s image.
On Tuesday, the Congress also filed a complaint with the Dispur Police Station in Guwahati against chief minister Sarma for his “derogatory” remark against Rahul Gandhi, seeking appropriate legal action.
On Monday afternoon, the BJP’s Yuva Morcha and the Mahila Morcha lodged police complaints in all their 40 organisational districts seeking action against Rahul for his February 10 tweet.
The BJP wings viewed the post as encouraging “disharmony and feeling of alienation” among the people of Northeast and rest of India.
BJYM president Sidhanku Ankur Barua told The Telegraph that they filed over 1000 FIRs seeking appropriate action against the Congress and Rahul for the tweet.
Rahul had on February 10 tweeted: “There is strength in our Union. Our Union of Cultures. Our Union of Diversity. Our Union of Languages. Our Union of People. Our Union of States. From Kashmir to Kerala. From Gujarat to West Bengal. India is beautiful in all its colours. Don’t insult the spirit of India.”
State BJP Mahila Morcha general secretary Himashree Devi said Rahul has not only “not” mentioned the eight northeastern states but they suspected he was supporting China’s claim on Arunachal Pradesh.
Senior Assam PCC member Manjit Mahanta said the BJP’s move was a “tactic” to divert attention from chief minister Sarma’s indecent remark while Youth Congress’ Patowary said the BJP has “grossly misinterpreted” the tweet.
“Rahul ji tweeted what is there in Article I of the Constitution. It states that India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. The territory of India shall consist of the territories of the states, the Union territories and any territory that may be acquired in future. The FIRs are diversionary tactic,” Patowary said.
Two police stations, The Telegraph contacted said they will be forwarding the complaints to their higher-ups for further action since complaints were lodged across the state. “We have only made a general diary entry,” one of them said.
