Chabua BJP MLA Binod Hazarika on Monday told Assam Assembly that had Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi been arrested earlier, there would not have been turmoil in Assam in the name of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest.

During the anti-CAA protest, Hazarika’s house was set on fire on February 12, a day after the citizenship bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha. Two persons were later arrested in connection with the incident.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia spoke of the duo being BJP members.

Hazarika said Akhil had been camping in Chabua since December 7. “Had he been arrested by December 9 there would have turmoil in Assam,” he said.

Akhil was arrested from Jorhat on December 12.

The issue of violence in Chabua was raised in the House by BJP Khumtai MLA Mrinal Saikia.

Saikia suggested that the government should rebuild Saikia’s house. The government denied the request saying houses and shops of many other people were damaged during the anti-CAA protest.

Assam parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said there was a “political angle” in setting Hazarika’s house on fire. “An inquiry is under way. Everything will be clear after the inquiry is over,” he said.

Patowary said so far 573 people have been arrested for indulging in violence during the anti-CAA protests and 430 cases have been registered. “Of them, 384 have been out on bail and 189 are still behind bars,” he said.

Patowary said during the anti-CAA protests, 48 people and 55 personnel from police and paramilitary forces were injured. He said of them, one Sanimul Islam, 18, under Hatigaon police station is still undergoing treatment.

Five persons lost their lives in the anti-CAA protests in Assam in December last year.

Patowary told the Assembly that of them only three — Sam Stafford, Abdul Alim and Iswar Nayak — died in police firing and the others —Dipanjal Das and Azizur Rahman — died in attacks by miscreants.